Waning Moon
by HowAboutThat
Summary: Stanley Pines, or better known as Stanford Pines and Mr. Mystery, isn't a man that let's too many things get to him, but sometimes there are things that are too much. Mental and emotional strength are going to be pushed to their limits and he's determined to get through it alone, but will that stubbornness destroy him before his family can help him?
1. Chapter 1

HAT: YES! I know there are a lot of other unfinished stories, but dang it, I don't have the inspiration for CATS, and this one just had to be put out there. Yes, I'm still working on _Pacifica Pines_ and _Times In Which Stanford Pines Isn't A Terrible Boss_ , but I'll also be working on this... honestly, I'm not as bad as half of the authors I've seen on fanfiction when it comes to having a _bunch_ of unfinished stories so... yeah. Anyway, enjoy!

 **Disclaimer: If I owned Gravity Falls would I make fanfictions about it?... probably, but regardless, I don't own Gravity Falls or its characters.**

* * *

 _"I'm sorry, Mr. Pines... they're gone. They were killed by what we can assume to be a mountain lion."_

 _"No, this can't be happening. They're_ not _dead!" Stanley shouted in denial. "You're lying."_

 _Officer Blubs gave him a pitiful look. "I'm sorry, Mr. Pines."_

 _He knew that their adventures were dangerous, but they always made it out alive because they were clever little knuckleheads- and that journal that Dipper always carried around was always helpful as well. He always had faith that they would be smart enough to avoid a lot of the majorly dangerous things and come back safe and sound. Their clothes must've been found and they were on their way back and lost- that must've been it. Maybe they were lost in the woods, he just needed to look for them. He'd do that as soon as the officers allowed him to leave, he had to be sure that they're okay, they were under his watch and if they were dead then he-_

 _"Deputy Durland, could you show him?" Officer Blubs asked._

No, no, no, this can't be real, _Stanley thought as he watched the officer open the body bags on the table in front of him and immediately his entire world shattered. Mabel's hair was matted and tangled- not like her usual semi-tangled, semi-neat style that she usually had and there was blood everywhere on her clothes and there were large claw marks going from her left ear down along her jaw to her neck. Dipper had claw marks on his face that made his birthmark disfigured and his orange shirt was entirely red. They are too large and deep to be from a mountain lion- it could've been anything, really._

 _"No, no, no, no, no," he murmured, backing up against the wall and still looking at the bodies of his dead niece and nephew._

 _He teared at his hair and tried to see past the tears forming in his eyes. And for the first time in decades he broke down and cried._

Stanley shoots up straight in his bed with sweat covering his body and tears in his eyes. He shoots up and runs upstairs to the attic and throws the door open with so much force that it bangs against the wall and closes halfway. That isn't what his focus is on, his eyes are focused on the empty beds filled with the items of his niece and nephew. Just the way he remembers it except there were no children that are occupying the bed so early in the morning- and he knows that they don't wake up early.

"This can't be real," Stanley chokes, picking up one of Mabel's sweaters and silently crying.

He drops to his knees and lets out a ragged sob and goes quiet while tears continue down his face.

Rapid footsteps thump outside of the room and then come to a stop in the doorway.

"Stanley, what happened?! I heard a bang" Stanford demands before looking down at his brother and seeing the state he's in and speaking with a softer voice. "'Lee? What is it?"

"Th-they're gone..."

"What do you mean by that?"

"They're _dead_ , 'Ford," Stanley chokes.

Stanford walks forward and puts a hand on his brother's shoulder- the one he had burned thirty years ago- and looks into his eyes. "'Lee, that was a nightmare... they're in the Shack with that redhead and your gopher-looking friend."

Stanley stares at his brother for good minute to be sure that he is telling the truth before he sags and rests his forehead on the chest of the man in front of him and lets out a sob of relief. The dream seemed to be so real and to to see them in their rooms was the final blow to his heart- if he lost them he's lost everything worth _living_ for.

"Thank, God," Stanley breathes, still crying despite himself.

Stanford's _never_ seen his brother cry so openly without feeling the need to hide it. Stanley's always tried to keep his emotions away from his sleeve and refused to even cry in front of his twin brother. It must have been a terrible dream to have him this emotionally wrecked. So he hugs his brother and whispers assurances until his sobs die down to nothing.

"Are you okay now?' Stanford asks, leaning back to try and see his brother's face, but the man has his head bowed and his hand is busy trying to rid any traces of tears.

"Yeah," chokes out Stanley as he stands up and walks out of the attic. "Thanks..."

"Anytime, brother."

Stanley goes to the bathroom and runs the water in the sink and puts his hands under the faucet and then rubs the moisture into his eyes so that his hot eyes are soothed even if it is just a little bit. All he needs to do is wait a few minutes and his eyes will have lesser in redness immensely and soon it will ooh like he hasn't been crying at all. Still, even if his eyes are only slightly red he _has_ to see the twins because just hearing Stanford tell him that isn't enough.

He throws on his usual suit in haste- so he won't chase off any customers that decided to come early- and doesn't bother with the fez as he goes to the gift shop. When he enters he sees both children talking to his employees. They pause their conversation and stare at him in surprise. To them he looks like he's just gotten out of bed- his silver hair was wild and his suit looked like he either threw it on or slept in them and his eyes had bags under them- and the look in his eyes makes all of them stop for a moment. He looks like he's in a frenzy, emotions raw and if the relief in his eyes were any indication they could swear that he thought something bad had happened.

"Grunkle Stan?" Mabel asks.

Stanley shakes his head and walks forward and hugs both brunettes with a fierceness. Having them in his arms is a relief because he can _feel_ their warmth and that they're alive. He hasn't been so happy since he saw his brother walk through the portal- the only difference is that this relief will last and won't be ruined too easily.

"Grunkle... Stan?" Dipper asks.

Stanley straightens up and coughs into his fist, a faint flush to his cheeks as his brown eyes move to look to the side. "It's- uh- National Hug Twins Day. That means you gotta hug a pair of twins before noon when it's over."

"Can I hug you and Stanford?" Soos queries.

"No," Stanley replies with a sideways glance towards his large employee before starting to fix his hair. "I'm gonna go get ready, you guys keep doing what you're doing."

He leaves as quickly as he can and a few seconds after he disappears Stanford walks into the gift shop.

"Uncle 'Ford?" Dipper asks. "I thought you were stuck with the portal?"

"I was, but I've gotta _eat_. I heard commotion upstairs near the attic," Stanford replies, glancing back to make sure his brother isn't coming back in. "Did he seem a bit off to you?"

"Yeah, a little, but today's National Hug Twins Day," Mabel replies.

 _So it was that bad,_ Stanford thinks. "Huh- guess that's why. He doesn't much like showing affection."

"Do you know why he looked like... that?" Dipper asks.

Stanford quickly goes over excuses to save his brother from having the others know that he had a nightmare- Stanley wouldn't appreciate it. "Guess it's because he woke up late."

They seem satisfied with this answer, but that does nothing to put Stanford at ease.

* * *

Stanford: *looks down a black hole* I'm going to tie that girl to a chair and lock that chair in a cage if she ends up in a black hole _one more time!_

HAT: HEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!

Stanford: I'm comin', keep your pants on! *turns to readers* Firstly, I'm surprised _any_ of you read what this girl has to say- I mean- I'm pretty sure there's something wrong with this girl-

HAT: Shut up about my mental state and help me! AH! Barney's back! Barney's back, help me!

Stanford: *glances inside at a bang and winces* Oh, that looks like it hurt. *turns back to readers* What was I saying? Oh, yeah, why do you bother reading what she has after the story?

HAT: I don't love you Barney! Stop saying that I do!

Stanford: *sighs* I guess I gotta save her. *grabs a balloon, a ruler, and a plastic spoon* Review everyone. *jumps in to save HAT*


	2. Chapter 2

HAT: Okay, next chapter. As you can tell, this story has the Stans right (unlike the others, but dang it, I'm not changing them in the middle of the story or going back and correcting it!)... let's see how else I mess up my favorite character! Eventually... enjoy!

 **Disclaimer: If I owned Gravity Falls would I make fanfictions about it?... probably, but regardless, I don't own Gravity Falls or its characters.**

* * *

The entire next two days whenever Stanley sees his brother he feels like one of his science experiments because he's being observed so closely. Stanley hadn't had another nightmare in that time, but he had practically gone out of her way to make sure that he saw the twins at least once a day. He had to make physical contact every time he saw them- whether it's a ruffle of the hair or a nudge for whatever joke he made or something along those lines. He _had_ to make sure that they were real because that nightmare _felt_ like it had actually happened and if he doesn't check then he's afraid that it would going to become reality.

"Dude, is it me or is Mr. Pines getting a little more touchy with you two?" Wendy asks when her boss leaves the room for a tour, he had ruffled both of their hair.

"Yeah, I've been noticing that," Dipper murmurs as he listens to the familiar voice weave tails about his exhibits. "It's weird."

Soos narrows his eyes. "Yeah... Mr. Pines isn't really a guy that shows a lot of physical affection."

"Do you think the shapeshifter's back?" Mabel asks.

"No, Uncle 'Ford checked and he was frozen still," Dipper reassures. "But there could be others..."

There could have been, but that was not the case and all of them knew it somewhere in the back of their mind. There was something more and the younger set of Pines twins are determined to find out what is wrong with their great uncle.

Too bad he was unwilling to let anyone find out what was wrong with him. Stanley had already broken his silent promise to always be the strong one, to never cry and if he does to not in front of anyone, and he broke that the second he went into the twins' bedroom. He had further broke it- possibly beyond repair- when he gave up and cried like an inconsolable child with his brother. Stanford knowing how weak he could be was bad enough, but if his niece and nephew- or even his employees- found out, he's sure that he's ruined. He can't face the pity if they knew what really happened that morning.

 _Get it out of your mind, 'Lee,_ he tells himself as he twirls his cane absentmindedly. He wouldn't admit it- even to himself- but the nightmare shook him to the core. The thought of losing two of the people that meant the entire world to him was devastating to think about and he knew he'd give every single penny he had to get them back if he had to. People may not have known he'd go _that_ far for them, but if punching a pterodactyl in the face just to save his great-niece's pig that he doesn't particularly care for is any indication, then it would be very plausible for him to give up everything for them.

"Grunkle Stan, is everything okay?"

He blinks and looks down at his niece and- as he's been doing for the past two days- reaches down and ruffles her hair to feel the warmth of her head under his fingers to be sure that she is alive and real. "Yeah, kid! Whydoyaask?"

"Well, that," she answers, pointing to her head. "You hardly ever do that and now all of a sudden you're all over me and Dipper."

 _Didn't think of that_. "Maybe... you two grew on me," he admits reluctantly, but it's better than telling her about what he'd seen in his nightmare.

 _The claw marks from her ear to her neck, the blood- so much blood- her unseeing eyes, the-_

"Grunkle Stan!" Mabel shouts, shaking him as best as she can with her tiny hands clenching his coat.

He blinks and puts a hand on her head to- again- reassure himself that she is real. "What?" His voice comes out horse and thick so he clears his throat and speaks, the thick feeling still in his throat, but it's much clearer, "What?"

"You're crying."

He blinks in surprise and puts his cane under his arm and uses the newly freed hand to touch his cheeks to find them moist. He glances down at her worried face and then forces himself to smile and lie- one of the things he does best.

"I finally got it. Now I can make myself cry at will- make some extra money off of sympathy," he says with fake pride. "Been trying to do that for a few days, sorry to worry you."

"Then why's your hand still on my head?"

He shrugs and drops his hand quickly. "Gotta get ready for the tour- stay inside the Shack, would ya? No monster hunting."

"Why?"

"Because I said," he grumbles.

The day he had a breakdown and they went monster hunting he had very nearly lost his mind. He'd ask Soos and Wendy if they'd "seen the knuckleheads" in between tours and when they'd not seen them he'd go back to giving tours with a heavy heart and the nightmare replaying over again. After that he more or less forbade them from monster hunting with the same excuse as he just gave his niece. He couldn't let them out, he had to keep them safe and away from all the monsters that could kill them.

"That's not an answer! Grunkle Stan, what's really going on?"

He crosses his arms and glances toward the door he'd been trying to escape through. "Listen, Mabel, it's dangerous out there... You and your brother always go looking for trouble and I'll be da- deranged if you two got hurt because you two couldn't keep your noses out of it."

"But we don't always go looking..."

He sighs. "I know kid, but could you at least try for me? I'd appreciate it... a _lot_."

She observes him for a few moments- behind the mask of disgruntled worry, was genuine _fear_ in his eyes that compels her to comply with his demands- and then finally nods. "Okay."

His stiff shoulders relax. "Thanks. Now... go play with your grappling hook or something."

She runs back into the gift shop while her great uncle walks into the museum.

Dipper gets up from his seat when he sees his twin enter. "Do you know what's going on with Grunkle Stan?"

Mabel had always been better at figuring people out and their uncle was one that she'd managed to read better than anyone else could read him. Dipper figured that Stan would be more open with his niece and that's why he had sent his sister to talk to him instead of going with her.

"Well... he seems worried," she admits.

"About what?" Wendy asks, curiosity peaked.

"I don't know. Me and Dipper, I guess. He didn't want us to go monster hunting at all," she informs before biting her bottom lip while wondering if she should tell them that she'd seen him _crying_.

Sure, he had said that it was because he wanted to get sympathy money, but the look in his eyes scared her. It looked like his entire world were falling apart and- despite how his brown eyes were looking at her- he couldn't _see_ her and he wasn't looking at _her_ , but at something distant- perhaps a memory? Either way, it wasn't good. He was looking past her at something that was tearing him up inside and it scared her to think that her fearless uncle could be _so_ afraid of something that it would bring him- literally- to tears.

"What're you holding back?" Dipper demands, knowing her better than anyone and knowing when she wants to say something, but doesn't know if she should.

 _Grunkle Stan wouldn't like it,_ she decides and shakes her head.

"Did he do something to you?" Soos asks with a seriousness that most wouldn't associate with the large man-child.

"No!" She shouts, defending her great uncle- she knows he wouldn't do anything to her or Dipper and she's confident that even Bill couldn't make him hurt them. She can't tell them that he was crying, but she can tell them a little. So with a sigh she says, "He's... he's scared. I don't know what it is, but he looked like he was just waiting for something bad to happen and he couldn't do anything to stop it... I think something's wrong that he isn't telling us."

Her brother shares a look with Soos and Wendy before turning to him. "Are you sure?"

She stomps her foot in frustration at the fact that none of them seem to believe her. "You didn't see what I saw! Grunkle Stan's scared and worried about us!"

 _I saw him crying! Something bad's happening!_ She screams in her head, but she keeps these thoughts to herself.

Dipper holds his hands up in defense. "Okay, okay, I believe you. Calm down."

She takes a few calming breaths before moving a stray hair out of her face with a pout. "I'm scared that something's wrong... what if something happened to mom and dad and he's scared to tell us? Or what if something happened to him?"

"I'm sure Grunkle Stan would tell us... right?" Dipper asks, glancing towards everyone.

"C'mon, Dipper, this is Grunkle Stan," Mabel deadpans.

"Yeah... you're right..."

* * *

Stanley: *pinches the brig of his nose* HAT...

HAT: Yes?

Stanley: You're really gonna fu-udge my life up in this story aren't you?

HAT: *nods* Yep. Nothing personal, I just- for some reason- ruin the lives of my favorite characters.

Stanley: How'd you ruin your favorite character of your last fandom in one story?

HAT: *laughs nervously* Um... dad went insane and killed his mom, ran away with his little sister and got separated, ended up a slave for three years and when he reunited with his sister she hated him, dad and slave trader show up and nearly kills him, his dad puts a spell on him to make him kill his new mother figure, dad tortures him, his girlfriend and little brother figure, and his dad snaps back to sanity after he saves him from a wild animal but dies anyway. *smiles nervously*

Stanley: *stares blankly at her* I'm doomed...

HATL *nods* Aaaa little.

Stanley: *sighs* Review. *turns and sees HAT gone and a black hole where she was standing* Well, crap...


	3. Chapter 3

HAT: Third chapter in the destruction of Stanley Pines- er... I mean, in the process of driving him mad and maybe helping him... yeah... uh- enjoy!

 **Disclaimer: Do you really think that Gravity Falls would be a kid's show if I owned it? Therefore, I don't own Gravity Falls, just the plot.**

* * *

Stanley had the nightmare again, but this time he wakes up in the middle of the night with tears streaming down his face and his lungs seeming to be unable to get air. It suddenly occurs to him that he might be having a panic attack (he's never and one before so he wouldn't know), but he ignores the weight on his chest and the stiffness of his limbs and reassures himself that he isn't tied down to the bed so that he can get up and go check on the two that are the cause of his anxiety. He goes to the attic and finds both children in their bed, but he can't see if they're breathing from here so he walks over to Dipper's bed and moves his hair from his face and places his finger under his nose so that he can feel the breath. He repeats this process with Mabel and relaxes immensely.

"They're safe," he reassures himself and lets out a humorless chuckle full of nerves and relief and wipes away the few tears that slipped out. "Thank God they're safe..."

After a few moments of gathering himself he kisses Mabel's forehead and then walks over and Dipper's temple- he'd buried his face in the pillow once again- and he walks to the door and pauses, glancing back to be sure they haven't disappeared, and then walks out of their room back to his.

Dipper and Mabel immediately sit up in their beds when they are sure that their great uncle is no longer in hearing range, their brown eyes looking from the door to each other.

"Did you hear that?" Mabel asks quietly.

"Yeah," Dipper breathes, recalling everything. "I think... I think Grunkle Stan's having nightmares or something... and something happens to _us_ in them."

"That would explain why he's been acting weird."

"And I think Uncle 'Ford knows, too," Dipper murmurs, recalling the pervious day.

"What makes you say that? He seemed to be legit with his explanation."

"He made an excuse for him and probably knows Grunkle Stan better than us so he wouldn't tell us if he knows Grunkle Stan wouldn't want him to. And you saw how Grunkle Stan was the first day when he came into the gift shop and Uncle 'Ford, too."

"That would also explain what happened today..."

He observes his sister for a few seconds before he finally asks, "What happened? I want to know everything."

She waits a few moments to speak. "I told you everything."

"No you didn't... you told me most of everything."

"Promise you won't tell anyone? Not even Wendy and Soos."

He stares at her in surprise, finding this request makes the situation that much more serious. "I promise."

The girl gulps and speaks with a shaky voice, "When he was looking at me, but not looking _at_ me... he was _crying_ and he didn't even realize it."

Dipper stares at her in surprise and shock and wonders if he is being lied to about this. Stanley Pines- as far as he knows- hasn't cried since he was a baby when they're supposed to cry and for him to cry is something that's close to impossible.

"Really?" He asks in disbelief.

" _Yes_. He didn't notice that he was until I said something," she informs. "Then he came up with some dumb excuse of wanting "sympathy money" or something like that."

"We've got to get to the bottom of this... maybe if we talk to Uncle 'Ford?"

"Maybe, but for now let's get some sleep. We can't exactly do that much when we haven't gotten any sleep."

"But now's the only time we can see Uncle 'Ford without Grunkle Stan knowing," Dipper insists.

The girl observes her brother for several moments. The determination in his eyes matched the one in her own to find out what is troubling Stanley and she cannot deny that she doesn't want to do everything as quickly as possible so there would be no other opportunity.

"What if Grunkle Stan's still awake? He might not go back to sleep after whatever nightmare he had."

"You could be right..." Dipper murmurs as he leans back onto his pillow. "Maybe... we could until tomorrow when Grunkle Stan's doing a tour?"

"Sounds good... g'night Dipper."

"Goodnight Mabel."

...

 _They're not dead, they're not dead,_ Stanley thinks over and over again as he tugs at his own hair. He stopped looking at the clock after he saw that it read 2:17 AM so he doesn't know what time it is at all. He just knows that he can't fall asleep- if he does then he'll know that he'll have to go to check on the children immediately and forget that they are alive. He can't do that to himself. If he stays awake then he'll know for sure that they are _alive and well_.

And despite knowing this information he still trembles in his bed with his silver locks clenched in his fists and tears streaming down his face. Sorrow tears at his heart for even thinking of them being dead. He doesn't know anything more than that scene, but anything else might break his heart.

 _You're fine, it's just a nightmare. You've been through this before,_ he thinks to reassure himself. But the second time was just as unnerving as the second time and caused him great distress. He tries not to think about it, but he keeps hearing the dreaded words and seeing their mangled bodies. A realistic nightmare only happened once to him before and he ended up curled against his brother's side for a week, but he was a child back then. He can't allow anything like that to happen again. He has to be strong and tough it out.

"You had the dream again."

Stanley looks up and finds his brother standing in the doorway in his plain dark blue pajamas and a maroon robe tied close and his arms crossed over his chest. Stanley has no idea whether he should be glad at the sight of his brother or angry that he had the audacity to come into his room. After all, they disowned each other- in a way- so they naturally try to avoid one another whenever possible- though sometimes they clash together during meals.

"Whaddoyawant, 'Ford?" Stanley demands, trying to hide his face from his brother. He can't afford to look weak.

The dark gray haired man walks forward and sits on the bedside and sighs. "I want to make sure everything's okay..." He glances at his brother and sighs once again. "Looks like that's not really happening."

The silver haired man turns his face further away from his brother's vision. "It's fine, go back to bed and get some sleep."

The covers are lifted slightly and the weight shifts on the bed and then an arm rests over Stanley's shoulder. "Do you really think that after all this time I wouldn't know when you're scared? When you're going through something?"

"Get offa me!" Stanley grunts, pushing his brother away.

Stanford's eyes linger on the burn mark that on his brother's shoulder. Sure, his brother absolutely _ruined_ his future, but he hadn't helped anything either. When he had burned his brother he truly felt remorseful for it, but he justified his anger by reminding himself that his brother was the reason he was trapped in the portal for thirty years. He held those grudges and his brother sacrificed everything despite his own grudges. Maybe Stanford should follow his brother's example? After all, despite everything he knows that he'd do anything for his brother in the end.

"'Lee," he murmurs, brown eyes holding worry and a tinge of sorrow. "Please... get some rest."

"Please, leave... don't look at me," Stanley begs tiredly.

Stanley stays quiet and jumps a little when he feels a strong six-fingered hand gently pushing him down to lie down on the bed. "Get some sleep."

The silver haired twin is shocked when he feels a protective arm get thrown over his torso. He glances back at his brother who lays on his stomach and has his eyes closed already and finds this to be the most caring gesture that his brother has made since he'd walked through the portal. He suddenly wonders how he went so long without his other half being by his side. After turning over so that he isn't looking at his brother he- with no small amount of reluctance- holds his brother's wrist to be sure that his new seatbelt stays in place. He couldn't ever verbally admit how much he appreciates his brother being there for him, but this seemingly small gesture speaks volumes. After all, actions speak louder than words.

* * *

HAT: Sibling love is the best! Alright, so it's going to take a while for this one to get updated because... still new and not as much is written as the others beforehand so you're going to have patience... soooo... since everyone's busy trying to get Soos out of a black hole- don't ask- I guess I'll be the one to day it. Review, please!


	4. Chapter 4

HAT: I forgot this chapter, so this is up and then the next one comes up as well... DANG IT! I thought I was done with these errors!

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Gravity Falls or it's characters.**

* * *

"Um... Grunkle Stan? Uncle... 'Ford?"

The elder pair of twins shoot up and spot their niece and nephew standing in the doorway with confused and unsure looks on their faces while they stare at their great uncles- who were previously cuddled against each other. They look at each other for a moment before shooting to opposite sides of the bed awkwardly, the tips of their ears red with embarrassment (A/N: Someone _please_ draw this scene!).

Stanley clears his throat. "Whaddoyawant?"

"Um... what were you two doing in here?" Dipper asks.

"The real question is what _you two_ are doing in my room," Stanley snaps before noticing the bags under their eyes. "Yeesh, how much sleep did you two get?"

"Enough of it," Dipper answers with his smart-aleck -y way.

"I'm still wondering why Uncle 'Ford's in here," Mabel adds to voice both her and her brother's thoughts.

Stanley glances to Stanford and- just like old times- they have an entire conversation in less than a second just by looking at each other. Basically they came to the same conclusion since the both of them know how stubborn Stanley can be about not showing any weakness- especially to those that look up to him.

"I- uh- I wasn't feeling so good so I came in here," Stanford lies as he adds a bit of reluctance just to be sure that his lie is believable. "Overnight stuff, I suppose."

"Oh... okay," Mabel shrugs, knowing she's done the same with her brother and vice versa.

Dipper- on the other hand- isn't convinced. He knows that both Stans are still in a rocky patch with one another and this doesn't seem like something Stanford would do if he merely had a small bug that was bothering him- he seems to be the type to take care of it on his own and not bother with a brother that he is still feuding with. He wonders if it has anything to do with Stanley's nightmares? Despite his suspicions he leaves it alone.

"What's up?" Stanley asks the two since these two usually make a habit of staying away from him in the morning- he is always crankier than usual in the morning.

Mabel elbows her brother in the ribs and gestures for him to go ahead and speak for the both of them.

He gives a withering, half-hearted glare to his twin and then turns to the older pair of twins in the room. "We were wondering- uh- if we could go out for a bit?"

Stanford frowns. "I hope not for monster hunting."

"Pfft, what? No! We're... we're not monster hunting," Dipper assures.

"That's not very reassuring," Stanley deadpans and then sighs, knowing how much they like to monster hunt. He can't bear to let them go out alone, but he can't really afford to send his employees out after them. "'Ford, could you go with them? Just for today?"

Stanford watches his brother for a few moments before nodding. "Sure, I'd love to show you kids around!"

Stanley feels a large weight lifted off of his chest and he stands up and gestures for the people in his room to leave. "Alright, out, out, out."

The darker haired old man raises the volume on his brother's hearing aid and says in a low voice so nosy children won't hear, "Are you alright, now, 'Lee?"

"Yeah," he replies with a small smile and then rubs the back of his head. "Uh... th... I really... uh-"

"You're welcome, knucklehead," Stanford interrupts, knowing his brother's inability in saying "thank you" like most people.

"So- uh- guess I'll see ya later?"

"I guess."

And when his brother walks out to get ready to take the children monster hunting Stanley lets a bit of his mask get chipped away. His eyes are no longer holding the hesitant gratefulness, but instead hold fear and worry. If his dream had happened only one time he could move on with it, but having it happen again is starting to make him worry.

 _If it happens one more time, then you can worry,_ he reassures himself.

* * *

HAT: H- *falls into a black hole*

Tyler: Get'er! Get'er! *pushes Manly Dan to get HAT* Oh, and review, please!


	5. Chapter 5

HAT: There was a mix-up sooooo... read the previous chapter if you want to see what I forgot to put up... *sigh* I thought we were over these mistakes.

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing aside from the plot and OCs.**

* * *

Stanley spent the entire day in denial. He refused to even check for the children out the window and convinced himself that this is an ordinary day and that they will return by the end of the day like they always do. He does so well at burying his worry that even his employees who were watching for anything out of the ordinary were convinced that his weirdness over the past few days was just a phase that he was going through and he was over whatever it was that cause him to be so weird. He even did so well with his mask that he's completely convinced that the dream never happened.

 _Back to normal_ , he convinces himself and glances at the clock. Three hours until he has to close which means two- three tours tops before he has to leave.

Plenty of time for a certain pair of twelve year olds to go down and get information from their other great uncle.

"Okay, when Grunkle Stan goes into the next tour and Wendy takes her break, we'll go into the vending machine," Dipper whispers to his sister.

"Right. We've got about two minutes," she says while looking at the clock on the wall.

The two wait in the security of the branches of the bush outside of the Mystery Shack. They have to know what's going on with their great uncle because- knowing him- he'll keep everything to himself and will refuse any help they try to give. At least if they know they'll know how to try and help during their remaining time in Gravity Falls.

As soon as the two minutes are up they hear the door open and watch their redheaded friend walk towards her spot on the roof. They take their opportunity and rush inside without hesitation. Dipper punches in the memorized code in the vending machine while his sister keeps watch behind him. They'd done this sort of thing before on a smaller scale with trying to steal a few cookies or get a few extra snacks in the kitchen. By the time they were ten they'd become pros at this.

They get inside and close the vending machine door behind then securely and then punch the button that would take them to the portal where their great uncle is working. They hardly ever see him outside of meals- per Stanley's request- and even then he's usually in and out with little to no words exchanged. Still, they have to do whatever they can to get something out of him about their Grunkle Stan even if they have to tie him down and interrogate him.

"What're we gonna ask him?" Mabel asks quietly.

"Just leave it to me," he assures.

She nods slowly. "Okay..."

When the elevator doors open the two see Stanford working on the controls, but he's paused and his shoulders are tense. "What do you want, Stan?"

"Not quite, but that's who we want to talk about," Dipper says.

Stanford turns around in surprise. "What're you two doing? I thought we agreed you two weren't allowed down here."

"Those were under different circumstances. We've got some business to take care of," Dipper says.

"We want to know what's happening with Grunkle Stan," Mabel adds.

The gray haired man frowns. "I don't know what you're talking about. Please, elaborate."

"We know you know something about what's making Grunkle Stan different. He's been acting weird the past three days and we want to know why."

"Stanley's just a weird guy, I thought we'd established this a long time ago."

Mabel frowns. "Well, yeah, he's weird, but this is weirder than usual. He's scared isn't he?"

Stanford still keeps his mask on, not giving away that he even knows a thing. "And what would make you think this?"

"There was the way he was the first day when he came up with that 'Hug a Pair of Twins Day" or something like that, then there was the increase in physical contact," Dipper lists off, holding up a finger for each point.

"He also cried for no reason when I talked to him about going monster hunting and he came up with an excuse that it was to get 'sympathy money' from the tourists," Mabel adds.

" _And_ we heard him when he came into our room last night saying something about how we're safe," Dipper says, watching they great uncle's face carefully- he had a hint of surprise when his sister mentioned him crying for no reason, but otherwise he had no reaction. "We know he's having nightmares! So tell us everything that you know about what's going on."

Stanford sighs and turns his gaze to the side of the desk where his brother got burned- to the mark that is now on his twin's shoulder. "To be honest I know about as much as you do... I think this is brought on by stress, though I'm not sure what could be stressing him. I think the dream was brought on again because he was stressed about the dream the first time... I think he's gonna be fine, now. He's never held down by nightmares for very long- no matter how realistic."

"You mean this has happened before?" Mabel questions.

"We were kids then. He had a dream where our mom died and he was cuddled up to her side for about a day or two and cuddled up with me at night for a week," Stanford reluctantly answers. "He's a tough guy and I'm sure he'll get over it soon... just promise that you won't go on any monster hunts by yourself. If you were to disappear or go missing he would lose his mind... heck, even the town's dangerous. I think it'd be best if you stuck around the Shack or stayed with Wendy and Soos when you go out anywhere. Just until you go home to set him- and quite frankly myself- at ease."

Dipper's eyes narrow at that and tilts his head. "Did his dream ever come true?"

"No... but she got in an accident and had a miscarriage with our little sister a month after his dream- a cause for caution."

That was enough to put a bit of fear into the twins' hearts. Something could happen to them in a month and their Grunkle Stan's dream could've been a warning of that. That could also explain a lot of the paranoia that the man exhibited when he was so insistent that they didn't go on monster hunts.

"So... does it always come true?" Dipper queries.

"I don't know. It's only happened once."

...

 _Boy, that sure was a long day,_ Stanley thinks as he trudges up the stairs to go to bed. _The twins sure were acting funny at dinner. I wonder what's up with them_.

They had been glancing at him warily for the entire time that they were eating and he had asked why, but they refused to answer despite how he persisted. He decided that it wasn't worth it and gave up, finding the task to be tedious. He just wanted to go to sleep and have a nice, dreamless sleep... or a dream where he has a lot of money- either way was fine with him.

He walks into his room and cries out in alarm. "Stanford?! What're you doing in here?!"

Stanford is sitting on his bed with his back propped against the headboard and a book in his hands and the covers covering his legs. He looks like he's getting ready to go to bed and- by the way he was positioned on the bed it reminded Stanley of when their father was in the bed waiting for their to settle down so he could go to sleep- there was no such thing as sleep for their father when their mother wasn't already asleep.

The darker haired twin looks up from his book at his brother. "What's it look like I'm doing? I'm sleeping in here with you."

"Ooooh, no you're not. You haven't reclaimed your house yet!"

"You're not gonna make this easy for me, are you, knucklehead?" Stanford sighs while snapping his book closed with one hand and look at him head-on. "Remember last time? It took a week of cuddling with me to get you to calm down again. I figured a few nights would be enough."

"I'm fine," Stanley assures.

"Then why are your hands shaking?"

He hadn't even realized, but his temper was already starting to rise. "Because I'm angry, poindexter! I want you outta my room!"

"I'd believe you if I didn't know that you don't shake that lightly when you're having a tantrum."

 _Damn it,_ Stanley thinks as he makes himself stop shaking. He _is_ scared of having the dream again, but he doesn't want to admit to the weakness. If he does then that means he hadn't conquered his emotions like he thought he has and that he isn't strong enough to do it on his own. Still, this is his problem to deal with on his own.

"If you're gonna sleep here, I might as well go to the living room," grunts the lighter haired man.

"Then I'll come join you there."

Stanley deadpans, "You're gonna follow me no matter where I go until after tomorrow night, aren't you?"

"Yep, pretty much."

With a sigh Stanley submits to his brother's stubbornness and undoes his tie. "You gonna leave while I get changed or what?"

"Or what. Its not like you're going to get buck naked or something," he grunts.

 _He's got a point_. Stanley gets undressed into his casual attire and then he tosses his fez onto the bedside table. "Don't kick me in your sleep."

Blush covers his twin's face. "That was over fifty years ago!"

"Mhm," grunts the man, subconsciously trying to push the true message into his brother's mind.

It's been _decades_ since the their feud began and his brother won't let anything go. It's like he doesn't realize that despite his negative thoughts towards his brother and everything his brother did to him, Stanley spent thirty years- thirty years that could have been spent doing other things- trying to get his brother back. It was long past time to bury the hatchet, but- like Stanley expected- Stanford either didn't understand or chose to ignore the message.

"Goodnight, knucklehead."

"G'night, poindexter."

Stanley lies down under the covers while putting his glasses on the nightstand on his side and has his back to his brother and the light from the lamp. Stanford turns it off and settles into the bed while putting his glasses on the other nightstand and lies on his side so that his back is to his brother's, but he makes sure that their backs are touching so that his brother will have the assurance of physical contact.

 _I can live with this for one more night, then it's back to my own bed_ , Stanley thinks and then finally drifts off.

* * *

HAT: Looks like his family's willing to help him whether he wants them to or not.

Stanford: Stan is pretty stubborn.

HAT: Like you aren't? *glares at him*

Stanford: You're still mad at me for experimenting with your bacon aren't you?

HAT: Yes! Just say it and no more experimenting on my stuff... meanie.

Stanford: *rolls his eyes* Very mature behavior... review, everyone.


	6. Chapter 6

HAT: I've honestly got nothing to say except: enjoy!

 **Disclaimer: If I owned Gravity Falls Grunkle Stan would take his fez off more often... no real reason- just because. The only thing I own is the plot and OCs.**

* * *

"I think you kicked me," Stanley complains while rubbing the small of his back.

"I think you're just getting old," Stanford retorts in defense.

"Hey! You're old, too!"

"Boys, boys, you're both old," Mabel states only to get her mouth covered by her brother and receive glares from both great uncles.

"What'd you say?" Both of them ask.

"N-nothing!" Dipper assures. "Sh-she said "you're both gold," y'know? Being amazing great uncles and all."

"Nice save," Stanley grunts as he grabs a bowl for some cereal. "And guess who's working today?"

"Why?" Dipper asks.

"Think of it as building personality," Stanley replies "brightly" before his usual frown goes back into place.

Stanford raises an eyebrow at his brother. "A bit more parental of you."

The larger twin rolls his eyes and goes to take a shower. Soon after this he makes his way to his room warily. Not only has he had the nightmare in there, but he's also been with his brother the past two nights. It's not that he isn't grateful for the gesture, but this is getting ridiculous- especially when his brother ended up sprawled over his stomach like _Stanley_ was the bed. Stanford insists that it was Stanley that used him as a teddy bear, but Stanley got _woken up_ by his brother rolling over on him.

 _I'm gonna set up a camera and show him proof_ , Stanley thinks as he gets dressed. Despite himself his mind goes to the nightmare and the entire _lack of it_ when his brother is around. It makes him feel like a child being dependent on their parents again and he _can't stand it_. He's a grown man- in his sixties- and he is _too old_ to be running and crawling into bed with his brother to stop a simple nightmare. He's been dealing with his problems by himself for _forty years_ and he'll be damned if he has to rely on anyone after coming so far. _You're fine, just go to work._

He thinks this, but he spends an extra ten minutes making sure the silver locks are nice and neat even if no one will see them underneath his trademark fez.

There's something about the Pines males that make them want to groom themselves to be presentable at all times after a certain age- usually after puberty really sinks its teeth in them so about the age of fifteen or sixteen. Even his father spent a good fifteen minutes making sure his hair was nice even though he wore a _hat_ every morning. There was a time when Stanley and Stanford would have to wake up an hour before they would if they hadn't cared about their hair so that they wouldn't be late for school because they were making their hair look nice. Stanford had gone for the "messy" look while Stanley went with the neater look. Stanley went through a lot of hair gel in those days and the only reason his father didn't cease him using so much of it was because he would be a hypocrite (he didn't use much, but he used enough so that it was nice.

"Lookin' good," Stanley compliments his reflection after taking thirty seconds to make sure his _sideburns_ look "on point" as he's heard kids say. He puts on his fed and goes downstairs to open shop. "Doo di doo doo dooo!"

"You're in a good mood," Wendy notes as she walks into the Shack, emerald eyes narrowed at her boss. "You didn't find out anything, did you?"

Last time he had been mumbling a merry tune in the morning before he had even made any money form his suck- er- tourists he had found out that Wendy had been stealing his snacks and he'd been holding back on telling her that he new for about a week before he gave her a real scare when he threatened to fire her. He found that to be one of the more amusing days in which he could _finally_ get a reaction out of his redheaded employee.

"What?" Stanley asks innocently. "Can't a man just be in a good mood?"

She smirks. "Yeah, but not _you_."

He rolls his eyes. "Bah, you don't know what you're talking about it."

 _Just glad I didn't have the nightmare,_ he thinks to himself before observing his employee closely when he notices something is off. He doesn't know what's off _yet_ , but he knows that it's _something_.

"I'm- uh- gonna get to work," she says, turning and going to the counter.

 _Something's_ definitely _wrong_ , Stanley thinks, knowing his female employee does _not_ like to work. Hiring her at such a young age, he got to know her a bit better- in almost an uncle-like way, but he'd never admit to any attachment that he has for his employees. He glances at the sign at the door to make sure it hasn't been flipped to say that they're open and is relieved to see that he still has the Shack "closed" at the moment.

"Alright, Red, what's up?" Stanley asks.

Wendy blinks in surprise, having not been called that term of endearment in at least two years. "W-whaddoyoumean?"

"I mean what I say: what's up, Red?"

Forget his problems, he's seen this girl grow from an awkwardly tall young girl to a rebellious teenager- and hopefully into a beautiful young lady- and he knows when something's wrong. Hell, he got her through her first period until he managed to shove her father into her direction, he feels he should be able to handle anything that this girl can throw at him.

He observes her to find what was different about her. She was wearing the usual clothes, her hat was on, he couldn't see any cuts, scrapes, or bruises. She was the same shade of pale as she's always been, she has slightly more freckles on her cheeks, but that always happens during the summer. There are no bags under her eyes and there isn't anything discernible that can give him a clue to what is going on with the young woman in front of him.

He doesn't know what makes him notice this, but he _does_ take notice. Her hair isn't parted to her right like it normally is, but to the left. It's such a small change, but it makes a huge difference in tipping him off that something is wrong.

"Nothing," she insists and he could have believed her- even let it slide- but her voice is an octave higher than normal.

His chocolate eyes narrow and he reaches forward with a calloused hand and moves to brush her hair from her face, but she turns her head away which makes suspicion and worry blossom in his chest. Before he even knows what his hands are doing he's grabbed her chin with his right hand and moved her hair with the left and he sees a bruise forming mostly underneath her hair while creeping from underneath her hairline to have it nearly touch her temple.

Stanley can't explain the anger that builds in his chest at this- but he has to find out everything first. He learned when his own nephew was younger to get all the facts before acting so brash and going out to attack the first person that he finds.

"What happened?" Stanley demands as she jerks her chin from his grip and his hand lowers to the counter. Her emerald eyes stay on the counter and he grits his teeth in frustration- this girl may not be his blood, but she's _family_ for all intents and purposes (along with Soos, but he'll never admit it about either aloud). There's more, but that's for another story for another time. "Wendy Lee Corduroy, _what happened?_ "

She gulps and lowers her head a bit more. "I told you- it was nothing. I was roughhousing with my brothers."

He clenches his jaw and gives her a hard stare, knowing that her brothers wouldn't do something like this to her- on purpose. "It's that boy isn't it?"

Her gaze snaps up to his with a glare. "It wasn't him!"

"Damn it, Wendy!" He growls, throwing himself away from the counter and turning to pace, similar to that of a lion.

She blinks in surprise, having _rarely_ heard him curse in all her time in working for him. "Mr. Pines?"

"None of that," Stanley snaps, turning to face her fully. "Tell me the truth. Did that boy do this to you?"

"U-Uncle Stan..."

If she didn't believe that he was serious before then she knows now. "Uncle Stan" is something that comes out when certain situations. After the first year of her working for this man her father had made him her godfather- or at least one of them- and she got into the habit of calling him "Uncle Stan" every now and again and eventually she grew out of it, but every now and then he would have something about him that would make her call him that once again and this is one of those occasions. He truly filled his role as a godfather and every now and again he pulls that authority- like he is now.

"Wendy."

She bites her bottom lip in hopes of stopping the tears from welling in her eyes, but she nods. "Y-ye-es."

As soon as the first sob is unleashed Stanley is already around the counter and hugging the girl. "Oh, Red..."

"I don't know why he did it," she sobs and rests her forehead on his chest. "I don't know what I did to deserve it."

"Wendy, Wendy, listen," he says holding her shoulders and lowering his head so that they are eye level. "It's not you."

"But, Uncle Stan, I-"

"It's _not_ you. It's _him_. Now I told you to _never_ let _any_ boy put his hands on you- even if it's your own father or myself or your brothers- _never_ let _anyone_ put their hands on you. You are a young woman and you deserve _nothing_ _less_ than _respect_ and _love_ in your life and if they aren't going to give you that, they don't deserve you," Stanley says strongly with a firm grin on her shoulders and his chocolate eyes locked with her emerald ones. "Now tell me where that boy is."

"No!"

 _Ohhh,_ shit! Stanley thinks as he groans. "Don't tell me you love this boy after what he's done."

"He didn't mean it!"

His dentures grind together for a moment before he speaks. "What happened? Were you two arguing?"

"Y-yes."

"If he does that when he's angry, he's going to do it again. I don't care how much he says that he loves you, you're only gonna get hurt... now I'm gonna find Dan and I'm gonna teach him what happens when a one puts his hands on a woman."

"Uncle-"

"Watch the shop," he grunts as he marches toward the door.

"He's gone! He left town," she explains. "He said he felt guilty and had to leave for a little while."

He frowns. "Fine... we'll work today, but don't go to sleep- got it? And if Dan comes back, call me- understand?" She nods mutely, staring at him with surprise in her eyes. He sighs and gives her a strong hug in hopes of making her feel even the tiniest bit better. "It's okay, kid, I'll be here for you no matter what."

She gives a small smile and hugs him back. "Thanks, Uncle Stan."

"No problem, kid," he grumbles and then pats her back and coughs awkwardly into his fist. "Er- now- uh- get to work."

"Okay, Mr. Pines... and... thank you."

"Don't mention it," he grunts with a fond smile.

As he walks out to get his eyepatch and cane he thinks, _I've gotten soft._

* * *

HAT: ... what? It's not all about Stanley all the time. Other people have problems, too.

Wendy: Since when is Mr. Pines my godfather?

HAT: I'm gonna put how in the other story.

Wendy: Oh... why'd you make him my godfather?

HAT: It felt right! Leave me alone, I'm writing this as I go with a loose plot in mind.

Wendy: *holds hands up* Okay, oaky. *turns to camera* Review please.

HAT: *grins* Thank you for being amazing and not having me ask you to say it before you do.

Wendy: You're welcome.


	7. Chapter 7

HAT: It's 4:30 in the morning... Eff everything... I'm just that lazy I'm reusing the disclaimer below and I didn't even try on the bottom... enjoy.

 **Disclaimer: You know... if I owned Gravity Falls I probably would've had Dipper- for one episode- get turned into an old man or baby... hey, that's an idea!**

* * *

It was noticeable to see that Stanley's in a foul mood.

The frown was something that was usual and his slouch was nearly always there, but the most notable thing was his hair.

The Pines men were an open book if one paid attention to how their hair is that day. If it is neat and they have taken at _least_ ten minutes on their then they are in a good mood- usually the longer they take on their hair, the better- and the more disheveled it looks, the more foul the mood. Stanley's hair- under the fez- looked like it did when he woke up and the real tip off was the fact that even his sideburns looked like a mess.

"Are you alright, 'Lee?" Stanford asks after observing his brother's hair- or rather- sideburns.

Stanley glances at his brother and can tell just by looking that he's only spent five minutes on his hair. "Are you?"

"Yeah," Stanford grumbles while combing his fingers through his hair in hopes of making it presentable.

Mabel makes a confused look. "What is it with men and their hair?"

"I dunno about other men, but I know Pines men have a thing for their hair," Stanley informs and then smirks when he sees Dipper subconsciously patting down his hair. "Just like that. You're on your way to becoming a man, Dipper."

Dipper grins. "Yeah I am!"

 _Great, the attention's off me now_ , Stanley thinks as he slyly fixes his sideburns and then takes a long drink of his coffee. The rest of breakfast is spent too busy eating to do anything else but eat- and for Stanley to secretly fix his hair and think about how fortunate he is to not have nightmares for the past couple of nights- even though he's been forced to sleep in the same bed as his brother- and then turn around to everything that's been bugging him for the past several weeks.

There's the newest revelation that his goddaughter was being abused by her boyfriend- and he'll be sure to deal with that boy as soon as possible, rest assured- and also what he's going to do after the summer is over. That's a huge dilemma in multiple ways and he's rather not think about it, but it's been eating at him and helping fuel his foul mood. Despite his mask, it's obvious that he hadn't even wanted to get out of bed, but the drive to make as much money as he possibly can before he's kicked out of his home is enough to drive him to plunge through the day despite it.

"Sta-" Stanford starts, but stops when Stanley stands.

"I've gotta full day of work to do, so if you'll excuse me," Stanley snaps a bit more harshly than he had meant to, but he does nothing to even suggest that he is remotely apologetic and walks out of his- _Stanford's_ \- kitchen.

Shit _my head hurts_ , he thinks while going into the gift shop and rubbing his forehead in hopes of easing the pain. He makes a mental note to down a bottle of water after the first tour and unlocks the doors so that his employees won't have to search for the key- he moves it constantly- and turns to the counter and grabs his eyepatch and 8-ball cane. His head pounds at the sound of of the door opening and he quietly groans and rests his head on his forearms. He might as well have gotten drunk the night before, his head hurt so bad.

"Whoa, dude, are you alright, Mr. Pines?"

"I'm fine, Soos," Stanley grunts while waving him off and standing straight up when his brother walks in to go into his lab through the vending machine.

Stanford glances at his brother to observe him, but when he finds nothing too off he continues to punch in the code. As soon as he's gone Stanley's composure becomes slightly less secure- no one else could really read him other than Mabel aside from his brother.

It's always been exhausting keeping a mask up all the time. From the time he was a child, he'd been the one that put on a mask of happiness so that his brother wouldn't feel bad anymore or later in life when he kept up the mask to keep people from getting in and hurting him after someone did when he finally opened up (*cough*Carla*cough*) and even to this day so that his family will stay happy knowing that he'll be fine. Nowadays he can't be using as much energy as he used to so he times his masks carefully- like when he's alone he doesn't even bother anymore- or around certain people he uses less energy than for others (people that know him like his brother, Mabel, even Wendy).

"You want me to get Dipper and Mabel to take over for the day?" Soos asks.

Stanley scoffs. "Please, I'm fine! Let them have their adventures!"

 _Just go with them_ , he wants to add.

They usually do just that anyway. It's _him_ that does all the work around here anyway- aside from Soos' handiwork since he can't exactly fix everything like he did in his thirties and forties.

"Okay," Soos shrugs and goes to work on his unfinished project with repairing the hole in the ceiling in the bathroom.

Stanley puts on his eyepatch and tries to push the headache and negative thoughts away, but it doesn't work. It doesn't matter anymore- the first tour bus has made it's stop. Everything will have to be put aside for the next half hour at least.

"Welcome to the Mystery Shack!" Stanley shouts as he walks out to greet the wallets- er- tourists. "I'm Mr. Mystery and I'll be taking you into a world of splendor and enchantment, but be warned!... not everyone makes it out alive!"

Some reacted with fear- mostly children- others laughed- mostly adults- and others were disinterested- a good mixture of teenagers and adults. Just like he liked them- except the last reaction.

He leads them through while ignoring the headache and putting on his most decent mask to scam them out of their money- er... earn their money through scam- showmanship and honest work. He had to lie to himself otherwise he'll slip up- like he'd been doing for the past four decades, but that's besides the point.

By the time the tour ends he ends up in his bathroom taking medicine for his migraine and downing an entire bottle of water. For the next ten minutes he nurses his head and he wants nothing more than to crawl into bed and get a few more hours of sleep- is that too much to ask?

He leans heavily on his arms that are propped against the sink and rests his forehead against the cool glass of the mirror and lets out a pain-filled groan while trying to talk himself into going back out to give tours to people. His body doesn't want to and his mind doesn't want to, but his wallet is something to make him do that... now if only his body would obey his mind and move from where it's resting.

"Grunkle Stan?"

He turns and finds Mabel standing there with a confused face while wearing a bright orange sweatshirt with a harp on it. "What is it sweetie?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine!"

She narrows her eyes and he tries his best to keep his mask up, but his energy is near drained and he doesn't know if he has the strength to do so much longer.

"Grunkle Stan, why're you lying to me?"

 _Shit._ "What makes you say that?"

"Your sideburns and you're all sweaty and pale," she answers while gesturing to him.

"I'm trying for a new look, is it working?"

The girl pouts and crosses her arms over her chest. "Grunkle Stan, you shouldn't even be out of bed! You're sick!"

"No I'm-" _Shit!_

Not quite, but disgusting enough.

He ends up turning from the sink and rushing to the toilet and throwing up in a place that was never meant for his face.

 _It doesn't make sense! I haven't had a beer, tequila, or any_ alcohol _all summer! I shouldn't be feeling like this!_ He thinks while using toilet paper to wipe his mouth before flushing the toilet. Stanley doesn't get sick often, but when he does it hits him hard and every time it feels like he's suffering from a massive hangover for every day until he starts feeling better.

"I told you!" Mabel shouts while running forward and feeling his forehead. "C'mon, you're not working today."

"But-"

"No buts!" She states as she pulls him to his room. "Dipper! Go tell Soos and Wendy that Grunkle Stan's not working today!"

Dipper makes a confused noise as Stanley sits on his bed. "Why?!"

"Kid, you're too loud," Stanley says as his great-niece takes a deep breath to shout an answer back.

"Sorry," she whispers. "I'll go tell him, you get in your pjs."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he grumbles and unbuttons his jacket and takes it off while she leaves the room.

Slowly he takes off his suit and ends up in his muscle shirt and boxers with his fez resting on the nightstand. His body shivers at the cold air hitting his body and he curls up in his blankets and buries his head in his pillows so that he won't have to see any light come into his room.

 _I should be making money- someone needs to run the Shack,_ he thinks and then with a sigh sits up only to be pushed back down by a strong hand- _definitely not_ his niece's or nephew's. Soos, perhaps? He peeks despite his eyelids burning form the effort of opening his eyes and finds his twin sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Whaddoyouwant?" Stanley demands.

"You've gotta take better care of yourself," he grumbles.

Stanley can't help, but scoff. "You're one to talk..."

"Get some sleep," Stanford insists.

"Gotta make money," Stanley moans before- and he doesn't know whether to be mortified at what he did or entertained by his brother's reaction- throws up onto his brother's lap.

Stanley stands up immediately with a squeal. "Stanley! Gah, I should've expected this," he grumbles as he takes off his pants quickly before the liquid could seep and touch his skin. "You always threw up on me when you ever did get sick... Could I borrow your pants?"

"Ugh," Stanley grunts while waving his brother off and trying to get the taste out of his mouth with no water.

"Thanks... I'll get you some water and crackers."

"Money..."

"The kids are taking over for you, don't worry," he says and then walks out in his twin's pants- not something he has never done.

As soon as his brother's out of sight he gets up- despite how the small voice of common sense tries to talk him out of it- only to fall back into his bed when his body is too weak to hold his weight. His foul mood isn't getting any better. Now he's sick and he's stuck with his thoughts while his brother is gone to get things out of the kitchen he's never been in. Stanley gives Stanford ten minutes to find the crackers at least.

For now he's thinking of a plan for when summer's over. It's a bit delusional with living in the wild with a pack of gargoyles and watching the kids from a distance while they grow up to become the great man and woman that he knows that they'll be while dodging the cops on the gargoyle's backs. But still, that's the dilemma.

When he shuts down the Shack and gives his brother's identity back he'll be left with nothing. Stanley Pines has been dead for decades, there's no way to insert him back into society. There's also the drastic change in looks and personality that will get even the townsfolk's attention. Stanford Pines closing the Mystery Shack and being a law abiding citizen? That's not gonna go unnoticed. Then Stanley- well into the later stages of his life- will lose the only place that's come close to being his home and end up living in his car again and running from the law for the rest of his life while- most likely- never seeing his family again.

Sickness has this thing about making even grown men vulnerable and more open than they usually would be and make one completely reliant on others for a time. This fact is confirmed because at these thoughts and his stomach twisting, turning and churning bring tears of frustration and damn it all if part of that frustration isn't because he was crying.

"Okay, so I got com ginger ale and- 'Lee? Are you okay, what is it?" Stanford asks as he rushes over and places everything that's in his arms on the nightstand and puts a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Is it your stomach?"

Stanley moans and Stanford seems to take this as confirmation because he ends up rubbing Stanley's stomach soothingly.

"Stop!" Stanley groans and pushes his look-alike away from him, thoughts of his mother doing the same drifting upward.

Stanford rolls his eyes at his brother's antics. "C'mon, it worked before. Do you wanna throw up again?"

The silver haired man resigns to his fate since he has no energy to protest and his brother rubs his stomach in soothing circles. He won't admit it, but it makes him feel a bit better.

 _If he starts talking to me like a baby I'm punching him in the face,_ Stanley thinks with his mind being consumed with the thoughts of his mother. He misses her so much that it aches. She was the only one that saw any good in him having personality and supported him. She was the one that was there when he was sick and even when he was in his last years of high school when he got sick she would do this same thing to him when his stomach ached. He never really got to say goodbye- he couldn't even go to her funeral.

"'Lee?" Stanley can't stop himself from all out sobbing. "Stanley, what is it? C'mon, talk to me."

Stanley shakes his head and ends up being turned over so that he can throw up in the trashcan. His back is rubbed until he's done and a cup of water is held to his lips so he can gulp down one-third of the contents before it's taken away.

Stanford focuses on rubbing his brother's back with worry blossoming in his chest. It's bad enough his brother hardly ever cries, but it's another when he cries himself sicker than he already is. He wonders what is torturing his twin so bad to get him like this.

"I-I'm sorry, mom," Stanley whimpers (A/N: Crap... I'm tearing up a little at the thought of this...).

And suddenly Stanford wanted nothing more than to break down and cry himself. He hadn't taken any time to think about his deceased parents at all. He knew that they'd most likely be dead, but he never really _thought_ about it. It hurts to know that he missed their funerals. He feels a little anger that Stanley was the reason that he missed every important event that's ever happened, but he refuses to let that get in the way of making his brother feel better.

"Calm down, you're gonna make yourself sick again," Stanford murmurs while moving hair from the other man's brow to try and see his eyes, but they're squeezed shut with tears seeping out of them. "'Lee, please, calm down."

"I-I didn't mean to miss your funeral... I'm sorry," he sobs and soon hiccups.

"Stanley, _stop!_ You're making yourself sick!" Stanford shouts while shaking his delusional brother before sighing and taking out a needle and sticking it into his brother's neck and emptying the contents into his brother's body. Almost immediately the sick man goes quiet and his breathing evens out. Stanford shakes his head and repeatedly runs his fingers through silver locks. "Always so damn difficult..."

* * *

HAT: ... I dunno why, but when I first imagined Stanford's personality I thought: indifferent, doesn't care who he's around when he curses, can be a butt, but often caring and such. Y'know... the works!... the way he is now is _not_ exactly how I pictured him. What about you?

Shmebulock... Sr.: Shmebulock.

HAT: Really? That's different from anything else I've ever seen.

Shmebulock... Sr.: *shrugs* Shmebulock.

HAT: Would you say it for me, oh impressive one?

Shmebulock... Sr.: Shmebulock.

HAT: Welp, you heard him.


	8. Chapter 8

HAT: This is gonna be short and focuses more on Stanford than Stanley, but it'll go back to our favorite Grunkle soon, I promise. Anyway, enjoy!

 **Disclaimer: If I owned Gravity Falls, Stanford would be used in the Mystery Shack to trick people _once_ at least. Oh, yeah, disclaimer. I don't own Gravity Falls.**

* * *

"How's Grunkle Stan?" Mabel and Dipper ask at the end of the day.

They'd finished up at the time their grunkle normally would and had gone immediately to said grunkle's room to check up on him and managed to catch Stanford as he closes the door after himself with the trashcan at hand.

Stanford grimaces when the smell hits him and holds the trashcan away from himself. "He's really sick."

They get a whiff of the contents and back up a few steps and plug their noses while making cries of disgust.

"How'd he get sick?" Mabel asks.

Stanford shrugs. "Like anyone else. His immune system couldn't handle whatever got him like it normally would. Now he's sick and you two have to take over the shop until he gets better."

"Or... you could pose as Grunkle Stan!" Mabel says, remembering last time she took over the shop.

Stanford shakes his head. "Nooo, thank you. I'll stick with cleaning up after Stan... unless you wanna clean his throw up?"

"Yuck!" Dipper and Mabel chorus and back away when the trashcan is held out to them.

"I think we'll just work in the Shack," Dipper grumbles.

"Give Grunkle Stan a kiss for me!" Mabel says cheerfully.

"I don't-"

"Please, Great Uncle 'Ford?" She asks with big puppy-dog eyes.

He tries to resist, but it's too cute and innocent. "Okay," he sighs. "Fine. I'll give him a kiss for you."

"Thank you, Uncle 'Ford!" Mabel chirps and then pulls her brother down the hall. "We've gotta restock the shelves!"

"Slow down, Mabel!" Dipper shouts.

Stanford shakes his head and then goes into the kitchen and cleans out the trashcan and then adds a plastic bag so that he won't have to do it anymore. He goes back into his brother's room and finds him there still asleep. He should be asleep for the next hour at least with the sedative that Stanford gave him. Maybe he went a little overboard, but with the way he was acting, it's a wonder he hadn't thrown up a second time.

Stanford sits next to his brother and gently runs his fingers through his brother's surprisingly soft hair. It always amazes him just how soft his brother's hair is. Stanley always took better care of his hair than any other Pines male that Stanford knew and he can feel that it's still the case. He's always loved playing with his twin's hair despite how much the latter would protest and this is- and he'll never admit it aloud- one of the things he's missed over the part forty years- playing with his brother's hair and having said brother halfheartedly fighting back.

"Oh, and this is from Mabel," Stanford says, lowering himself and giving his brother a kiss on the temple awkwardly- he's still not used to showing affection. Stanford leaves to get some medicine from the bathroom and comes back to find Stanley sitting up. Stanford walks forward and checks his eyes with a flashlight that it's really Stanley and he's shocked that he's awake. "How're you awake?"

"I've been drugged before," he answers vaguely and groans.

Stanford makes a face and opens his mouth to ask, but stops himself when he remembers the conversation that occurred before he was pushed into the portal. Three different prisons, chewed his way out of the trunk of a car, and he had a mullet. That mullet was a huge clue that his brother had been going through a lot since the Pines men's hair is the best way to tell how they are doing and that mullet was screaming that he had gone though a lot and he was at a low point.

"How's your stomach?" He says instead.

A groan. "Still hurts, but I'm better now."

"Here, have some crackers," Stanford grumbles as he opens the package and hands his brother the saltine crackers.

Stanley sits up a bit and begins to eat the food with a somber look on his face.

He hadn't meant to go completely berserk earlier when he was thinking of his mom, it just happened. Another reason why he absolutely hates the blue moons that he's sick. He just needs to calm down and not think about anything that's happened over the past four decades of his life until after he's done being sick and then he can shove it back as much as he wants.

"Why're you doing this? I thought you hated me or something," Stanley asks casually and then blows his nose and looks at the clear snot in disgust. "Ugh..."

"I don't hate you... I don't like you, but I don't hate you," Stanford assures. "Besides, I don't the kids area ready to take care of you."

Stanley scoffs and this ends in a coughing fit and he ends up rolling over his brother and throwing up in the trashcan. "Oh... I feel like crap."

"You look it, too. Here, drink."

The sick twin drinks the ginger ale and curls into a ball. "You don't have to do this. I can take care of myself."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Stanford grumbles. "Get some sleep."

"Don't tell me what to do," Stanley grumbles sleepily.

Stanford rolls his eyes, remembering a time when that was said playfully all the time to advertisements telling them to go out and buy stuff. It became a bit of a joke between them.

"Don't tell me not to tell you what to do."

Stanley goes to sleep with a smile at his brother remembering that old joke.

* * *

HAT: Short, I know, but the next chapter is a bit... weird (and possibly short), but after that-

Stanley: *covers her mouth* I thought no one was supposed to know the plot?

HAT: *pushes his hand off* Oh, yeah, sorry. Thanks, Stan.

Stanley: No problem.

HAT: *hands him a dollar*

Stanley: Review!

HAT: Why are you my favorite character?

Stanley: I've got the best lines in the show and you love suits?

HAT: ... yeah, pretty much.


	9. Chapter 9

HAT: This is gonna get weird, but I'd like to point out that this won't be Stancest at all. As interesting as the art and some of the stories may be, I don't do that. Just brotherly fluff that may border on awkward now and then... like now. Why does awkward look like it's spelled wrong to me right now? *shrugs* Oh, well, it'll get better sooner or later.

 **Disclaimer: If they kill Stanley in the show, you're gonna wish I owned Gravity Falls... aka: I don't own it, just the plot.**

* * *

Stanley groans when his stomach demands food; it feels like his stomach is trying to fight him. He gets up and knows that this is going to be difficult because his body already wants to lie back down. Despite his body's wants he _needs_ food so he wraps his blanket around himself and shuffles all the way to the kitchen.

His stomach doesn't care what he wants so he decides that some ramen noodles will be fine until he remembers that every time he's sick, it's ramen noodles that he throws up if it's the first heavy meal he eats so he puts the ramen back and looks for something else to eat. The most appealing thing that he finds to eat are apples and the saltine crackers so he gorges himself on that and then goes to sit on the recliner to regain his energy.

"Stanley?!"

"Here," Stanley calls, but coughs almost immediately.

There are rapid footsteps and then Stanley's doppelgänger pokes his head into the living room. "What're you doing out here? You're supposed to be resting in your room!"

"Got hungry, acme out here to eat."

Stanford walks over and then jump back while covering his nose. "You stink!"

"I haven't taken a shower in two days, poindexter," he snaps before grabbing a tissue and blowing his nose.

"C'mon, you're getting a shower," Stanford grunts while taking Stanley's arm and pulling him to a standing position.

Being too weak to fight his brother he instead goes for verbally resisting. "I'm too weak to take a shower, can't you just let me rest until tomorrow or something?"

"No, you're getting clean even if I have to scrub you down myself."

"Noooooo!" Stanley whines.

Stanford won't hear it and keeps dragging Stanley to the bathroom. He turns on the water and full the tub with steaming water and then for the next five minutes Stanley struggles to keep his warm blanket, but ultimately loses and ends up hugging himself for warmth in his wife beater and boxers while glaring at his twin.

"Strip."

The larger twin's eyes widen and he backs away from his brother. "No! I'm going back to bed."

A sigh. "Looks like we're doing this the hard way."

"What're you- ah! No, stop!"

Stanley knees his bother in the stomach to keep him from taking off his wife beater, but Stanford is persistent and manages to get the wife beater off. After that Stanley realizes that he's fighting a losing battle and instead gets un the tub and sulks.

(A/N: You can pretty much ignore the rest of this, it kinda gets off track (It's three in the morning and I'm about to go to sleep, leave me alone)

"Stop pouting," Stanford grunts as he rolls his sleeves up and sits on a stool beside the tub.

"I can wash myself," Stanley insists, though his body protest from moving.

"Yeah... I don't believe you. Just cooperate with me, please."

Stanley grudgingly accepts being bathed by his bother, however uncomfortable it is. Stanford dips a washcloth in the water and puts soap in it before scrubbing Stanley's back. It feels weird, but not having to exert energy to wash himself is something he'd grateful for- rest assured, he'll never admit it. Stanley feels embarrassed to have to be washed by someone else. He figured he'd die before he reached that point- or at least he was hoping- but being sick and old doesn't help him at all in avoiding this.

After a few minutes Stanley manages to get some strength in his limbs and grabs the washcloth. "I've got the rest of this."

Stanford shows the palm of his hands and backs away. "No problem there."

Stanley washes the rest of his body in peace and once he's out of the tub and drying off he realizes what clothes he's left and he nearly runs out to yell at his bother if it weren't for the fact that Mabel lives in the house and Wendy comes and goes when she pleases most of the time.

"Damn it, 'Ford," Stanley growls and first puts on his boxers and then contemplates walking around shirtless, but decides against it and puts on the pink pajamas with rainbows on them. He shuffles into his room and finds Mabel there with a camera. "Mabel!"

"I never miss a scrapbookertunity! Look, we match!"

He can't stay mad at her- he doesn't even have the energy to glare- so instead he gets into bed. "How late is it?"

"About two in the morning. I couldn't sleep so I came in here."

"What if I came in naked?"

She pales. "Please don't even mention that."

With a roll of his eyes he takes off his glasses and puts them on the night stand. "Aren't you afraid of getting sick or something?"

She shrugs. "I wanted a slumber party with my grunkle."

He smiles regretfully. "How about we have a slumber party after I get better?"

"Okay. Goodnight, Grunkle Stan," she says while kissing his temple and then runs out of the room.

 _I love that kid, but sometimes she's too weird, even for me_ , he thinks fondly and then takes his medicine that's laid out for him before before he goes to sleep.

* * *

HAT: ... Told you that it got weird. *yawns and sits only to fall into a black hole*

Stanford: *runs over and peaks into black hole* Does this happen a lot?

Mabel: *nonchalantly picks up a blanket, a paper, and a crochet hook* Get ready for a big explosion.

Stanford: *frowns* None of that can make an explosion.

Mabel: You'd be surprised. *jumps into the black hole with a battle cry*

Stanford: Review! *jumps in after Mabel*

HAT: HALP!


	10. Chapter 10

HAT: First, this chapter was inspired by a few pictures I found on Tumblr (even though I don't have one)... You know what I love? That most people don't read the top thing up here. You know what I also love? Luring readers into a false sense of security before blindsiding them... If you read this, review and let me know, if not... *laughs/cackles evilly*

 **Disclaimer: ... *looks at angry Alex Hirsch* I don't own Gravity Falls... just the plot to this story. Happy now? *watches him give a smile and a thumbs up***

* * *

It took a few mote days for him to get better, but everyone was glad that he was past it. As soon as he could he went right back to work and wouldn't take no for an answer despite his brother's protests that he should take another day to rest. And then came the slumber party...

"Please?! Please, wear it! I made it for you," Mabel begs.

He sighs and takes the pajamas. "Fine..."

He walks into his room and changes into his new green pajamas with golden dollar signs scattered all over it. He doesn't _want_ to do this necessarily, but because he loves his niece, he's willing to suffer through it so that she can be happy.

 _The things I do for love_ , he thinks and then goes back into the living room.

"Yay! Do you like it?"

"Um... generally," he murmurs. "Why do you want a slumber party with me?"

"I've had slumber parties with my friends and my brother and now I want one with my Grunkle Stan. It's just one, please?"

"Okay, kid... so... sleep?"

"No! First we've gotta do makeovers!"

 _You've gotta be kidding me._ "Um... okay..."

The girl pulls out the makeup kit and smiles. "Pucker your lips!"

"Why would I-?"

"Pucker!" Something inside of him says, " _y_ _ou punk"_ to him as he puckers his lips like ordered. Bright red lipstick is applied to his lips and then he rubs his lips together when ordered again. Soon he's told to close his eyes and he feels all sorts of gunk being applied to his face over the next several minutes and soon he hears Mabel going through her things nearby and soon he hears her say, "Okay, open your eyes."

He opens his eyes and immediately promises himself that he will never let his brother see him like this. "Wow... sweetie... um..."

"Whaddoyouthink?" She asks.

"Kid, get this offa my face," he replies bluntly.

She pouts. "You don't like it?"

 _Crap, she's about to cry_ , he thinks and quickly shakes his head. "It's not that- I'm gorgeous- but I just don't want anyone to see... me... like this.." A heavy sigh. "Fine, I'll keep it on."

"Yay! Now you put make up on my face!"

"You must've lost your mind."

"Please?"

He shrugs. "Alright, you asked for it."

Stanley picks up a light pink lipstick and applies it to her lips first. After that he's at a loss. He picks up mascara and then uses that on her eyebrows- he's never done this so he doesn't know. Next he picks up the blush and applies it both to her eyelids and her cheeks. It's a disaster, but he does what he can to make her look decent... it doesn't work. It looks like makeup had a mishap on her face. After a few moments he feels like he's done and shakes his head. He is the most incompetent man when it comes to make up.

"What do I look like?" Mabel asks.

"Um... here," he says, handing her the mirror.

She looks in the mirror and laughs. "You did better than I thought you would. Wanna take a picture with me?"

"Sure," he shrugs and smiles next to her.

"Say Pines girls!"

"Pines girls," he says with a sigh, not bothering to smile at all.

"Now let's do each other's hair!"

Now _that_ he can do. "Can we wash this off first?"

"Sure, here's a makeup wipe," she replies and hands him said item.

He wipes off his makeup until he's sure there's no trace of it- and for some reason he feels like he still has mascara in his eyelashes even though nothing comes off when he wipes at them anymore. Next he wipes Mabel's face and then he sits against the recliner and spreads his legs so that his niece can sit in front of him and he can get to her hair.

"Whaddoyou want done to it?"

"Pigtail braids!"

"Okay," he grunts and separates her hair. Once that's done he braids her hair on the left first and then the right. She picks up the fished braid and observes it while he moves onto the right side of her head and begins to detangle her hair to start the next braid. She looks up at him and smiles and he smiles back. "What?"

"I didn't expect you to be so good at braiding hair."

"I've got a lot of hidden talents," he shrugs.

The reason he's so good at braiding hair is because he was forced to learn how to make a girl's hair look good when his little girl got older. She would have him braid her hair in multiple ways and he could do hair fairly well. He would do her hair in the mornings when she was very small and then do her hair when she wants to do something special when she goes out with her friends- he could do a lot with hair and it was something that he prided himself on as a father. He had started with the Barbie doll practice hair and then learn from there- even had Manly Dan's wife teach him (she was a sweet lady). Unlike hair and some fashion (he could tell when something was ugly or didn't go with their skin tone), makeup wasn't his forte. She hadn't quite gotten to the makeup stage when she died.

 _Don't go there, don't think about her_ , he thinks, but it's too late. Guilt is already stabbing his heart. Instead of focusing on that he listens to Mabel giggle as she tickles her nose with her own hair.

"Now I do your hair!" Mabel insists and climbs up on the recliner with a brush at hand. "How do you want it?"

She starts brushing his hair back and he shrugs. "I dunno. Something classy!"

It doesn't take her long to get his hair slicked back with the sides of his hair brushed down.

She puts the mirror in his face. "What do you think?"

He grins while taking her ankles and pulling her so she sits on his shoulders and stands abruptly. "It's great! I could run for president with hair like this!"

"Let's dye your hair pink and put glitter in it! Imagine how incredible you'd look!" Mabel asks while squeezing his cheeks

He imagines it and likes what he sees, but he knows how long it takes to get hair dye out and he also knows that it takes even longer than that to get glitter out of hair (and everything for that matter). "I'll admit, I'd look pretty fantastic but _not gonna happen_."

"Oh, c'mon... pleeeeeaaase?"

"Nope! Never," he says and then jostles the girl on his shoulders. "Let's get something to eat and go to bed, huh?"

"Can we have chocolate-"

" _No_. Not after last time," he grunts.

She pouts. "Fine."

After eating reheated pizza Stanley starts towards his room only to find Mabel trying to keep her head up while her body tries to go to sleep. He smiles and picks up the girl and her cheek rests on his shoulder. He _did_ close up shop a little late and the slumber party got started until ten- she often goes to bed at twelve at the latest- so he expected her to go to bed not long after they started their slumber party.

"You're getting too old to do this," he grumbles, but he doesn't know who he's directing this statement to: Mabel- who was twelve and only going to get heavier as she grows- or himself- as he's an old man and shouldn't be carrying children all that much. After walking a few feet he feels her grip tighten on his pajama shirt and he lefts go of her to find that she doesn't need his arms for support- but his neck does so he supports her weight again. "Guess we're sleeping in my room."

He goes into his room- cleaned the previous day- and pries her arms from around his neck and sets her on the bed. Once she's under the covers he tucks her in and then walks to the other side of the bed and sits down. He turns off the light and takes off his glasses before lying down and pulling the covers over his legs and then up to his stomach. Not even two seconds later she's cuddled up to him with her face buried in his side.

He smiles fondly and ruffles her hair. "G'night, kid... sweet dreams."

-A Few Hours Later-

"Grunkle Stan! Grunkle Stan, wake up," the tearful voice of his great-niece begs as his chest is pushed on by tiny hands.

He opens his eyes and finds Mabel shaking him with tears streaming down her face. "Whoa, what's wrong kid?"

For a moment she stays still and stares at him and then she throws herself at him and sobs into his jacket. "I-I h-ad a nigh-ightmare that you-ou died!"

 _"Daddy, I had a dream that you died!"_

 _No, not again,_ he thinks as he hugs the small twelve year old. "You're fine, it's okay, it's just a bad dream."

 _And this is my worst nightmare happening all over again..._ The image of his daughter flashes in his mind, the scene of her death... his heart jerks and he hugs the girl slightly tighter. _I'll protect you, Mabel, I swear._

* * *

HAT: Now, some of you might not know what that dream means to Stanley. If you want to read about it, go to _There's A Reason For That_ and read chapter 3? *looks* Yeah, chapter 3. If you're going to read, stop reading here... Now that they're gone, for those of you that don't want to bother: His daughter had a dream that he was gonna die, but she died in his place. Another reason why this impacts him so much is because his daughter was twelve at the time and now Mabel's twelve.

Mabel: Do you hate Grunkle Stan or something?

HAT: He's my favorite character... I do a lot to my favorite characters. I can just do a lot to his past because they left a gap and has lived longer... you, not so much quite yet.

Mabel: Wow.

HAT: Wanna go get ice cream after you say the thing?

Mabel: Yes! Review, please, everyone!

HAT & Mabel: *run to get ice cream*


	11. Chapter 11

HAT: Stanley's gonna go through a whole lotta crap in this story... hopefully that gets better. Enjoy!

 **Disclaimer: If I owned Gravity Falls this show wouldn't be on a kid's channel.**

* * *

"Stanley, we need to talk."

"About what?"

"About _that_."

What Stanford is talking about is the fact that Stanley has Mabel in a baby carrier on his chest and she's been there all day- even when he was doing the tour he had her on his chest and during lunch he fed her with her still on his chest. Last night shook him so bad that he didn't want his great-niece out of his sight for even a second- though bathroom breaks were the only occasions that he allowed that- no need for any of that.

"What's wrong with a man carrying his great-niece around?"

"There are multiple answers! One: She's twelve; she's to big to carry around all day. Secondly: You're too old to carry even a baby without putting strain on your back. Thirdly-"

"I get it, I get it, but there's a valid reason for this!"

"And what is it?"

He doesn't want to tell the truth so he figures he'll tell half of it. "Mabel had a bad dream and I'm carrying her around to show that I won't keel over anytime soon."

"I think she gets the point now. Sweetie, do you wanna get down?"

She shrugs. "I dunno..."

"Stanley, could we talk without Mabel for a second?" Stanford asks, his brown eyes trying to get the man to see that it might not be something he wants to talk about in front of her.

Stanley sighs and picks the girl up from under the armpits and places her on the floor. "Go wash up for dinner, sweetie."

Stanford peeks to make sure she goes to do as asked and turns to his brother and hisses under his breath. "Did you have a nightmare about Mabel dying or something?"

"No, it's not that. She had a nightmare last night."

"What does that nightmare have to do anything? I know you'd be doing something else if that were the case."

Stanley pinches the bridge of his nose and lets out an irritable sigh. "Listen, it's nothing-"

"Don't lie to me, Stanley."

"Look, it's none of your business, Stanford!" Stanley starts out a bit louder than he intended, but gets quieter just in case so no one else could hear him. "You didn't care before, don't act like you care now."

"But, Stan-"

Stanley gives him a fierce glare and halts his brother in his tracks. " _Don't_ , Stanford. Now I've gotta go pick up some things and I expect you to keep the kids safe- understand?"

Stanford looks ready to protest, but he nods. "Okay."

Without another word he turns and walks to the door and grabs his keys and storms out of the house. He won't be picking up anything except peace and quiet. He checks the back seat and the trunk for children- he can't be too careful- and then he drives off. He's always been a reckless driver- but he's had the reflected not to get in a wreck save for two or three other times, but that's a story for another time.

He just drives for a what seems like only a hot second, but by the time he pulls into the driveway it's been four hours. He goes inside and tosses his keys into their proper place before blatantly ignoring his brother and going straight to the attic to check on the children. Once he's sure that they're fine he goes back down the stairs and undoes his tie, his jacket button, and the top two buttons of his shirt and then takes off his coat. He enters his room and the lamp light comes on and sitting there is not just his brother- like he expected as soon as he saw the light, but also the twins.

 _These kids are much smarter than I gave them credit for_ , he thinks first, but then he gets angry. "What're you doing letting them stay up this late? Why're you all in my room?"

"They were asleep, but they work up because they were worried because of you and came to me. Where have you been, Stanley?"

"No where- out," he grunts in reply and hangs is jacket up and then he sighs. "I'm home safe."

"Grunkle Stan, don't you remember Auntie Hazel?" Mabel asks.

Stanford winces at that and his gaze lowers to the ground of the thought of his niece.

She died eight years ago in a car crash after going out for a drive to cool down after a heated argument with her husband. Ever since that day the entire family pretty much got up in arms about anyone going out for a drive. Sadly Stan needed this to cool down because leaving it pent up after a while doesn't work at all for him so every time he does it- which has happened more often since his brother came back- the twins have a near panic attack every time he leaves for a drive and often try and get him to stop for good, but he's yet to stop.

"I'm sorry for worrying you guys so much."

"You said that last time," Dipper reminds.

Stanley scratches the back of his head and then sighs. "I don't know what to say..."

"Could we stay in here with you?" The small girl asks.

After looking at her for a few seconds he sighs. "Yeah, I guess." He gets undressed into his usual casual attire and turns to see that his brother isn't leaving. In fact, he's staying and he knows this because Stanley takes off his robe and hands it up. "Oh, no. I agreed to the kids staying, not you."

"She said "we" which also implied me."

Stanley glares at his brother, but decides not to argue in front of the kids. "Fine."

Stanley gets on his side of the bed and the children lie in the middle and Stanford gets on the other side. Mabel is against Stanford and Dipper is curled against Stanley. When he looks down at the children he can see how exhausted they are. They waited four hours for him to come back and haven't gotten any sleep worrying about him. Guilt tugs at his heart and he kisses both of their temples and moves the hair out of their face.

"G'night kids..." He says just as his brother does- something obviously not done on purpose since the both of them look at each other in shock.

"G'nigh," they each mumble and cuddle into their respective grunkles.

 _This is so weird._

It's so weird that he only gets three hours sleep that night while the other three sleep like babies.

The reason that he only gets three hours worth of sleep is because throughout the night he's woken up by children moving and Dipper kicking him in the side. He even ended up nearly falling on the floor twice because the children decided to take most of the room on the bed. The only reason he even got sleep was because he picked up both children by their ankles- and he's surprised they didn't wake up- and placed one on his brother's chest and the other on his own. He doesn't know which child is on who's chest since he doesn't have his glasses and everything's dark, but he does know that it's easier to sleep when he has a bed to sleep on.

When it's time to start waking up he _feels_ terrible- he just stopped trying to get sleep all together by that point. He hasn't gotten so little sleep since he was working on the portal. His body doesn't want to work with him, but he forces it to get up to he can work. He puts on his glasses and puts the kid on his chest back on the bed and quietly gathers his clothes for the day and makes his way out of the room.

Stanley takes a quick shower and takes ten minutes to fix his hair. He pulls on and buttons his shirt and then pulls on his pants only to find that he's left his belt in the room in the middle of stuffing his shirt into his pants. He goes back into the room and finds all three still asleep and grabs his belt before sneaking back out while putting it on. Once that's done he pulls on his jacket and buttons it before fixing his sleeves and grabbing the red ribbon with a heaviness in his heart and ties it around his neck with the image of a small, brunette twelve year old girl wearing the ribbon floating in his mind. He shoves the image out of his mind and fixes his hair once more before putting on his fez.

"Lookin' good," he says in the mirror and then turns around and curses himself for leaving his signature eyepatch and 8-ball cane in the room. "Oh, boy, this is just gonna be a great day."

He rubs his forehead and goes downstairs and pours himself a cup of coffee- he'll need it after the long night he had. He eats two slices of toast covered in jam and then walks out of the kitchen to brush his "teeth" so it won't scare away his customers with his bad breath like that one time Wendy decided she wanted to pull a prank on him and change his toothpaste- now he checks his toothpaste before he even dares brush his teeth.

Five more minutes and he's opening up the Mystery Shack.

Soos blinks in surprise at seeing his boss awake already when he walks up to the Shack. "Mr. Pines? What're you doing up so early?"

"Long night," he replies gruffly.

Luckily Soos gets the message to not ask anymore questions. "Want me to call Wendy and have her come early?"

"Nah, let her sleep," he grunts. _Like I didn't._

He walks back into the tourist trap and is barreled into by a small body. "Whoa, you're getting snot on my suit.. what's wrong, sweetie?" He notices Stanford and Dipper walking in behind her- Stanford scratching his chin and Dipper rubbing his eye. Mabel tries to speak, but she can't and simply sobs into him. He hugs her to himself and runs his fingers soothingly though her hair while murmuring words of comfort. He turns and glares at the two Pines males standing in the doorway. "What happened?"

"She had a nightmare and thought you died so she woke us up to ask where you were and came running out here when she couldn't find you anywhere," Stanford answers.

Dipper looks at his sister with a sad frown. "She's never had a dream this bad before... I couldn't calm her down."

Now Stanley knows how serious this is. Dipper can _always_ calm Mabel down, so for the girl not to be able to calm down until she sees the man alive and well is something that makes him worry. It reminds him not only of his daughter, but it also reminds him of himself when he had the dream where both Dipper and Mabel died. He doesn't want her to go through what he's had to go through.

"It was horrible," Mabel manages. "There was blood and-"

"Shhh, shhh, it's okay, everything's fine," Stanley assures, but he hugs her a little tighter. He can't let what happened then happen again. He _cannot_ lose Mabel. He pulls back and wipes her eyes. "See? Look at me, sweetie, I'm right here..."

Mabel's bottom lip quivers and she nods. "O-okay."

He picks her up under her armpits and brings her up so that her cheek can rest on his shoulder and uses one arm to support her back and the other arm for her to sit on. "C'mon... Dipper, go get some of the nasal spray and tissues. Soos, fix everything up."

Dipper runs off to do just that and Stanley quickly walks back his brother to go to the the house part of the Mystery Shack. His insides churn at the possibility that it's happening again. He won't let Mabel die in his place- he can't.

"Mabel, it's okay, just breathe. It was just a bad dream- your old Grunkle Stan's a hard one to kill!" He reassures, taking out his handkerchief and holding it out to her. "Here, clean yourself up."

She wipes her eyes and then blows her nose. "Promise me you won't die, Grunkle Stan?"

"Listen, sweetie, I-"

"Promise!"

He sighs when he sees that she won't calm down unless he makes this impossible promise. "I promise."

* * *

HAT: I haven't decided whether I kill him or not- I have a problem killing my favorite characters (but torturing them is acceptable apparently).

Dipper: Why would you wanna kill Grunkle Stan?!

HAT: I don't want to, but I might in this case!

Dipper: Might? That means he has a chance!

HAT: Yeah.

Dipper: How much bacon to ensure he lives?

HAT: N- wait... we'll discuss this after. Say the thing now.

Dipper: Review, everyone! *turns to HAT* Now about not killing Grunkle Stan-

HAT: Wait until it fades to black.

*slowly fades to black*


	12. Chapter 12

HAT: I decided to add this chapter anyway, it's not like you go back and read it before reading the new chapter. And yes, this will be going off the correct names and I'm having the twins call 'Ford their grunkle like they should... Or I will since they don't talk to him in this chapter. If you guys see any mistakes after everything's edited in past chapters like I didn't switch a Stanley/ford or the twins call 'Ford their grandpa, let me know. It's still gonna be a pain to edit, but I'm not gonna make you wait over something I failed to do earlier.

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing aside from the plot and OCs.**

* * *

It took a while to calm Mabel down but luckily everything worked out in the end and she could walk around without any trouble. Unfortunately he was only going on three hours of sleep, he was too anxious to eat, and he had been trying to distract himself from his problems all day which is all taking its toll on him. He doesn't know how he's still functioning after six hours straight of pure working.

"And this is the rock that looks like a face rock!" He says, gesturing elaborately to the inanimate object with his cane. "The rock that looks like a face."

"Is it-"

"It's a rock that _looks_ like a face!" He snaps before the question is asked and leans against his cane for support when his head swims. "Moving on."

He normally would walk with his cane held by the middle and just use it to gesture to the attractions and just for show- unless someone wants to attack him, then it's a sturdy weapon- but today he's been using it like it's supposed to be used and he's been putting more and more weight onto it as the day's gone on. He sincerely hopes that no one's noticed as he walks back into the Shack.

Next Stanley decides on what he likes to call the world's most distracting object, but as soon as it starts spinning and distracting people he begins to get dizzy. He tries to get closer to the wall, but this attempt s made in vain because he ends up falling onto the ground and blacking out.

The only one out of Stan's workers and family in the gift shop was Wendy and she was the only one that didn't look at the distracting object. Everyone else was still captivated by the distracting object that lay beside the unconscious man but Wendy was distracted by her magazine so when she heard the thud she could easily pull away and see what was wrong.

"Mr. Pines!" She shouts and rushes over and kneels beside him while she tries to think of what she learned in First Aid. "Breathing... he's breathing."

She checks his temperature and can feel that he's a burning up so he unbuttons his jacket and then his shirt- thankfully he's wearing his muscle shirt underneath that- and then takes off his shoes and socks and then the fez that miraculously stayed on to fine his hair in a damp mess. She grabs a nearby pamphlet from a tourist and begins to fan him furiously and then calls 9-1-1 and tells them to come to the Mystery Shack immediately before she even thinks about the others in the house.

" _Help!_ " Wendy shouts while struggling to get his jacket and shirt off with one hand. " _Help! There's something wrong with Mr. Pines!_ "

By the time someone runs in she has one arm free and she's on the process of getting the next one free.

"What happened?!" Stanford demands as he rushes forward.

"I dunno, he was doing his thing and then he collapsed. I think he has heat exhaustion," she explains and keeps fanning him. "I already called 9-1-1. What do we do?"

"Tell Soos to keep the kids in their room and Wendy, go get some water and a spray bottle full of water and bring them here."

"Right," she stutters and runs off.

Stanford turns his attention to his brother and gets the man's jacket and shirt off and then looks back at the tourists with a fierce glare. "How did none of you realize he was... aaand, they're hypnotized. Figures this is when you'd collapse."

Wendy comes back with the items. "I got them and I found a church fan."

"Good, spray his skin and fan him, keep doing that so he cools off," Stanford orders before he pulls his brother's head into his lap. He gently shakes the larger man and murmurs, "Wake up, Stanley... Stan, you piece of shit, don't you dare die over not taking care of yourself."

Stanley lets out a quiet groan and moves his head, but otherwise gives no sign of waking up any time soon.

"I think I hear the ambulance," Wendy says and stands to peek out the window. "Yes! that's them."

"Go get them in here," Stanford says and once she leaves he takes up the duty of fanning his brother. "Damn you, Stan, why do you have to do this to yourself?"

The paramedics come in with a stretcher and carefully move Stanley and take him to the ambulance. Stanford stands up and takes the clothes and runs to the living room and throws the clothes in there and grabs the car keys.

"Dude, what's going on?" Soos asks and Stanford suddenly becomes aware of the children standing behind the employee with worried looks.

"I need you to watch the kids until I get back- I'll call from the hospital when I have more information."

"But we wanna know what happened!" Dipper bursts.

Stanford sighs. "I'm sorry, but I think it's best you two wait until things are more clear."

He runs out and realizes the tourists are still standing there, hypnotized. With a growl he takes the object causing their obliviousness and chunks it across the room. "The Mystery Shack is closed! Please, go to your cars and leave."

He follows them out and gets into his brother's car and begins the drive to the hospital, following the sirens. He's suddenly very glad Stanley forced him to relearn how to drive a car. When he pull into the hospital parking lot he sees the gurney being brought out and Stanley being put on it. He pulls into the first parking spot he sees and runs into the hospital.

"I'm sorry sir-"

"My- my brother's in here," he pants. "Stan Pines."

"And your name?"

"Sherman Pines," he lies quickly.

The woman at the front desk gestures for him to sit. "I'll call you when you're able to visit him."

He nods and goes to a chair and sits down twiddling his thumbs. He doesn't like sitting there surrounded by strangers, but if he has to endure it to see that his brother is fine, he'll do it...

* * *

HAT: Let's face it, meting mentally and emotionally damaged _do_ have a physical affect.

Preston: No one in my family has that problem.

HAT: *glares* Because your family is filled with pricks. At least your daughter has potential to be a good person- unlike you.

Preston: I can buy _and_ sell you, child!

HAT: And you can go to jail for doing that and I don't think you'll do well in there.

Preston: *narrows eyes*

HAT: Go on and say it.

Preston: Review, everyone or I will-

HAT: You have not power here so don't threaten my readers.

Preston: *stomps and walks away*

HAT: *rolls eyes* Aaaand now he's having a temper tantrum. *walks outs*


	13. Chapter 13

HAT: Another chapter... lets go!

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Gravity Falls or it's characters, only the plot. ONWARD, AOSHIMA!**

* * *

 _Ugh, what happened?_ Stanley opens his eyes and is immediately blinded by white light. He sits up and rubs his eyes and and realizes two things. The first one being that he doesn't have his glasses on and the second being that his back is unnaturally cold. He reaches out naturally to his left to grab his glasses, but finds that this isn't the case. He growls and presses the heel of his hand against his eye and tries to figure out where he is.

"Here," a familiar voice says and he feels something press against his hand.

Stanley takes his glasses and puts his glasses on so he can see the world around him and finds that he's in the hospital- the one place he's tried to avoid his entire life. "Damn it, you know I can't afford this. Why didn't you just take care of me at home?"

Stanford narrows his eyes at his brother. "How much did you have to eat? Did you drink anything?"

"I had some coffee and some toast," he grunts. "What's the big deal? I've done it before."

"Damn it, Stan! You're too old to not to take care of yourself," hisses his smaller doppelgänger. "You could've died today. Do you know how terrified Mabel is right now to think that you're dead after those nightmares? How worried the rest of us are? You collapsed in the middle of a tour and had all the tourists hypnotized so they couldn't help you. You're lucky Wendy was there. What's wrong with you?!"

Stanley grows silent and rubs the back of his neck. "I dunno... I guess I'm not as young as I used to be."

 _Not that youth is much better than now_.

Stanford observes him, making Stanley uncomfortable. It makes him feel like he's Stanford's experiment or something- he doesn't like it because he has to put on his best poker face so that he won't see anything wrong.

"The doctor said you can come home tonight," Stanford explains.

"Great! Let's go before we have to pay for everything," Stanley grunts as he spots his clothes.

" _Stanley._ " The larger twin pauses to hear his brother. "Can't you do something right for a change?"

"Last time I tried, it didn't work out so well."

He gets up and goes into the bathroom with his clothes at hand and gets dressed as quickly as his aching bones will let him. That fall did a number on him, but he won't let anyone know- that's not his style. Once he's fully dressed, he walks out and adjusts his fez- no time to fix his hair if he wants to get out now. He looks at how far from the ground he is and thanks his lucky starts that they're on the second and there's a tree with a strong branch tickling the window.

"Stan-"

"Let's go, Stanford," Stanley snaps while pickpocketing his own brother for his keys.

He opens the window and jumps onto the branch using his natural upper body strength to keep from falling. Once he's sure he's secure he shimmies his way to the trunk and climbs down until he's about six feet from the ground and makes the final jump. Once he's through with that he searches for the car and finds it.

"You don't even have the keys!" Stanford calls with a low voice just in case.

Stanley holds up the keys and lets them jingle. "If you wanna get home, better come down within the next five minutes."

He turns and goes to his car and gets in the driver's seat and counts down how long his brother had before he leaves. Once he gets to one minute left he starts the car. He isn't playing when it comes to leaving his brother- if he were by himself he would be halfway to the Shack by now. Once time is up he backs out and starts down the parking lot to get out and as soon as he stops to check and see if any cars are coming there's a thump on the side of the car.

"Let me in," Stanford pants with a glare.

"Fine."

Stanley unlocks the car and starts driving away as soon as the door's closed. There's a long silence that hangs in the air that's broken halfway to the Mystery Shack.

"You know... I think it'd be best for the twins to be sent home early," Stanford murmurs.

Stanley's grip on the wheel tightens and he slams on the brakes and pulls over to the side of the road. His mind replays that sentence over and over again and the anger that he's been pushing aside starts bubbling in his chest.

"What do you know about what's best for those kids?" He demands.

"Well-"

"Let me try again... what makes you _think_ that you know what's best for those kids? What makes you think you know better than me what's best for them?"

Stanford's brow furrows with frustration and confusion. "Well, it's obvious that you're in no state to take care of them anymore and their parents are more suited to the task."

Stanley's hands grip the steering wheel a bit tighter. "That just proves that you don't know anything about these kids..."

"I do know them!"

Stanley observes his brother's face fora few moments and sees that this man truly believes what he says. "Okay... what's Mabel's favorite hobby?"

"She likes to knit."

"Mhm," Stanley grunts with a nod. "Okay... do you know _why_ she knits?"

Stanford seems taken aback by this, but after a moment or two of thinking he says, "Because she's a creative child and knitting happens to be the best- or maybe even only- way to express it."

Stanley chuckles without humor. "You got part of it right, poindexter, but that's something that anyone off the street can answer. Try again."

"What does this have to do with anything?"

"It has everything to do with what you just said. Mabel doesn't knit just because of that, but also because it it makes her feel closer to her mother. Do you know why Dipper is so into paranormal research?"

"Pure, scientific curiosity, just like me," Stanford answers boldly.

"Partially... he wants to forget about what's happening back home or find something in those damned journals of yours that can solve it..."

Stanford stares at his brother and sees something so raw that it makes his stomach churn, but it's gone so fast that he can't place it. "What's going on at home?"

The silver haired man turns away and looks towards the front of the car with his teeth- or rather dentures- gritted and his anger mixing with sadness at the thought of what he's going to reveal, but he keeps his poker face up. "Their family's falling apart at home, basically. James is a mess and Marg... she's dying... Going back in time to see her die and not in the condition they left her in will be the worst thing that could be done to them...

"You _don't_ know what's best for these kids. You don't care for them like I do."

"I never got the chance to be around them and you won't let me!"

" _Don't blame this on me, Stanford._ You brought this on yourself. _You_ built that portal, _you_ go into every dangerous situation with no regard for yourself or others, _you_ don't know when to stop doing anything... you're _dangerous_ and I'm not letting either of them get hurt or killed because they were around you," the larger brother says coldly. "I would die for those kids without question... if there were a slim chance where I'd survive along with them, but the chances of them living were higher if I died, I would do it without question. The only thing I'd regret is making them cry... so don't you _dare_ tell me that I'm incapable of taking care of those kids."

Silence falls in the car and after a few moments of killing the emotions inside his chest and stuffing them away Stanley pulls out onto the road and drives back to the Shack.

* * *

HAT: Getting a little more tense- and it also gives insight to what I have going on in Dipper and Mabel's lives back in Piedmont.

Dipper: You kill my mom?!

HAT: It's not like you two are going back.

Dipper: Why would you say that?!

HAT: There was this one comic on deviantart that said something like "More like single parent" for Grunkle Stan and in the caption, crossed out it says "the parents never come back" and I figured that might be something that we could work with.

Dipper: *eye twitches* You're cruel...

HAT: I know!

Dipper: ... we're done with this conversation. *turns to camera* Review.


	14. Chapter 14

HAT: Let's just get this going.

 **Disclaimer: I only own the OCs and plot... Gravity Falls belongs to Alex Hirsch! ONWARD, AOSHIMA!**

* * *

It's a tense eight minutes driving back to the Shack, but Stanley- quite frankly- doesn't care. He just wants everyone to stop focusing on him and put the focus back on the kids- where their time and energy should lie. They need help more than he does because they're young and can't deal with everything like he can.

" _Never show weakness_."

That's something he's lived by for as long as he could possibly remember. Emotions- despite how deeply he's always felt them- are something that he shoves aside as much as possible because this is a sign of weakness.

As they pull up to the house Stanley puts the car in park and turns off the car. "Don't look at them any different than you did before and don't let them know I told you about their situation or how I ran out of the hospital. As far as they need to know, I got off with a clean bill of health. Got it?"

Stanford nods slowly.

Without hesitation Stanley gets out of the car and walks towards his home of thirty years. The door's thrown open and both brunettes stand there in shock at first, staring at their great uncle like he's a ghost. It pains him to see them like this after thinking he was going to die.

Stanley grins. "The one and only! C'mere ya knuckleheads!" The two immediately break into a run towards him and he kneels down as quickly as his body will allow and prepares himself in time to be barreled into by two twelve year olds. He hugs them to himself and kisses each of their heads out of need to be reassuring to them by the wetness he feels seeping through the suit onto both of his shoulders. "It's okay, I'm right here, kids."

"D-don't scare me like that ever again!" Mabel shouts, hitting his chest fairly solidly.

"I'm sorry, sweetie, I won't," he assures.

Dipper sniffles. "Y-you're such an ass..."

Without hesitation Stanley glares at his fowl-mouthed brother. At least Stanley curbs his cussing, Stanford doesn't care. Still, Stanley lets this slide with a goodnatured chuckle and ruffles the boy's hair. After a few minutes of hugging, Stanley's body can't take the strain anymore and he stands up and takes both of them by their hands. They don't seem ready to be out of contact with him quite yet. Losing their mother and grunkle in the same year would kill them- that's why he's determined not to die for years to come.

"C'mon, let's get some hot chocolate and s'mores and then watch whatever movie you wanna watch. Sound good?"

They don't answer, but he leads them inside with as much pep as he can put into himself so that he can ease their nerves even if it's just a little bit. No one can say he doesn't love these kids- not one person that's ever seen him interact with them. Everything he's ever done this entire summer- whether it seemed like it or not- was for their benefit. Being hard on Dipper meant toughening him up so that the world won't beat him down and being gentle on Mabel is so that her spirit won't be crushed thinking that no one's ever on her side. _Everything_ was for their benefit.

The entire night is spent on his recliner with the twins cuddled against him while watching mindless television. Stanford ended up going down to his lab- as expected- and so that left them alone the entire night.

Even after they fall asleep Stanford is reluctant to remove them even if he's in his suit. Just so he won't end up too hot he takes off his jacket and unbuttons the top three buttons of his shirt and then relaxes after draping his jacket over them. He takes off Dipper's hat after a thought and then drifts off.

...

 _"Bye Grunkle Stan! We're going monster hunting with Great Uncle 'Ford!" Mabel calls._

 _"Be safe!" He calls as he walks away to start scamming tourists._

 _"We will!" Dipper calls back._

 _-Multiple Hours Later-_

 _They'd been gone all day and it's_ way _past dinner time_. _They're usually back by that time and this worries him so much that his old nervous habits begin to resurface. He starts glancing at the clock ever few seconds and pacing the room- like most would- but the small things that come with it are his pinkies twitching and biting his top lip and tapping his thigh._

 _He also called the police to get them to search around eight-thirty while he checked the woods near the Shack for about two hours._

 _There's a knock on the door and he runs to the door to see the sherif and deputy standing there with looks of sympathy on their faces- Officer Blubbs impressively accomplishing this feat with his large sunglasses on._

 _"I'm sorry, Mr. Pines..."_

...

Stanley jerks awake and blinks rapidly to get the tears out of his eyes and he glances down at the sleeping children in the safety of his arms. It's then that he decides that he can no longer trust his brother with his charges. These dreams are too real to be anything other than a premonition and until they're back home in Piedmont Stanford's going to be _nowhere near_ the twins.

It takes a long time for him to go to sleep. He keeps waking up at the slightest noise and thinks that it's Stanford trying to take the kids out and lead them to their deaths by going on a monster hunt. When sleep does come it's not easy; the sleep he does get are filled with the images of his bloodied niece and nephew.

* * *

HAT: Fairly short, but the BS shall be kicked up a notch- especially after-

Wendy: Don't do it! *tackles HAT*

HAT: Ouuuch... get off of me, your knee's in my appendix!

Wendy: Oh, sorry, dude.

HAT: *gets up and glares* You people have got to learn to tackle people so that it's less painful.

Wendy: Sorry... um, review guys while I go get HAT her last ice cream before she cuts back on her sweets.

HAT: *hugs Wendy* Thank you... thank you so much!

Wendy: *pats her back* There, there.


	15. Chapter 15

HAT: Sorry this came out late. It's my birthday and I haven't exactly gotten the chance to be on the computer pretty much all day... yeah- on the bright side the newest episode came out on my birthday! Anyway, enjoy this new story! If Alex Hirsch is reading- _thank you_ for the amazing and not on purpose birthday present!

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Gravity Falls or it's characters, just the plot.**

* * *

"Is it me or do you think Grunkle Stan's keeping us away from Grunkle 'Ford a lot more than he was before?" Mabel asks her brother after being ushered out of the kitchen as soon as they were done eating after their other great uncle entered for the third morning in a row.

"Yeah, I've noticed that. Do you think they had another fight?"

She shrugs. "I dunno, maybe."

"Too bad we can't ask," he sighs.

Soos leans against the clothing rack. "Maybe he's feeling insecure because you've been spending a lot more time with Mr. Pines 2?"

Mabel shares a glance with her twin. "He _did_ get kind of jealous when we chose Soos over him on that fishing trip..."

"But that doesn't explain why he's trying much harder than he as before."

"Who's trying harder than before?" Everyone jumps and stares at the person they are talking about. "Is if Robbie again? I swear if that punk comes back with that huge stereo and gets crushed in front of my house again, I'm gonna shove my foot right up his keister!"

Dipper chuckles. "No, Robbie learned from the last two times... I think..."

"Oh... so who's trying harder?"

"Uh- Soos!" Dipper lies quickly.

"Y-yeah!" Mabel choruses. "He's been trying really hard to keep in contact with his girlfriend!"

Stanley nods. "Well, good for you... what's she look like?"

Soos pulls up a picture and Stan raises an eyebrow. "What? Is it a picture of _abuelita?_ "

"How'd you get a pretty girl like that?"

"You underestimate my skills, Mr. Pines," Soos says.

"If you get that, of course I am... you two, go do some manual labor and Soos... keep doing whatever it is you're doing."

Stanley walks away with his mind filled with scenarios in which Soos got a girl that pretty to go out with him. He can't wrap his mind around it.

Despite this, there's more to worry about than how Soos might have tricked the girl- there's the twins and Stanford to worry about. He's noticed that the twins are making more of an effort to stay around their other great uncle, but he can't allow it. If that dream is a premonition like he thinks it is, he's more than sure that his brother is something to be wary of.

 _A wolf in sheep's clothing..._

For years he thought that the only one that he could ever trust was his brother- ever since he was a child. He doesn't know why he kept this belief that Stanford is the only one that he can trust even to this day. It's been so misplaced when he sits down and really thinks about it. He didn't stand up for Stanley and let their father disown him, then there was the fact that his brother only wanted to _use_ him to hide the journal that was left to hide, and then his grudge still being held even though Stanley spent thirty years of his life to bring the ungrateful man back.

 _How can I trust a man that doesn't even thank me for spending thirty years focusing on bringing him back?! He doesn't even bother to get to know me or know what I had to give up to get him back,_ Stanley thinks angrily as he enters his office. _Speak of the devil..._

"Hello, Stan."

"What the hell are you doing in my office?"

"Figured you'd come in here at some point."

Stanley closes the door behind him. "What do you want?"

"I want to know what's going on with you, Stan! You look like you haven't slept in days- again- and you're keeping the kids away from me even more than you did before. Did you have another dream or something?"

Stanley's nose wrinkles in anger. "Since when do you care about me? You did't care about me forty-someodd years ago when I was kicked out by dad or any time after that!"

At first Stanford seems to be taken aback, but then his shoulders sag and then his features gain a remorseful look. "I know... I know I made mistakes and I know I've been a terrible brother, but you have your faults, too-"

"Always putting the blame back on me- that's just what you wanna do when it comes to defending your case," Stanley scoffs. "Typical."

"But-"

"You don't even bother to think of others. How many times have you put the twins in danger? Yourself? Me? All you care about is yourself! _Thirty years_ of my life isn't enough to make up for two mistakes? Do you even know how much time, energy, effort, and so many other things I've sacrificed? And you don't even have the decency to even _look_ grateful!"

"You have no idea what I've seen on the other side of that portal, Stan, I've seen people die, I've killed people," Stanford insists.

" _Don't_ talk to me like I haven't seen that... I've seen more in those ten years between getting kicked out of the family and seeing you again than you've most likely seen in twice that amount of time. No, I don't know what's on the other side of that portal, but on this side I've seen things no kid should've ever seen at that age and done things I only wish I could've taken back."

"Stanley, you're no killer-"

"You're right... but I have killed people before and had people try to kill me so if you want to get a bit more in depth. Quit acting like you're so high and mighty and been through _soooo_ much... I'm going for a drive-"

"Are you really gonna do that to the twins?!"

Stanley pauses in opening the door and glares back at his brother. "Shut up, Stanford... you don't know what you're talking about."

Without another word he slams the door and quickly tells Soos to improvise and have the twins take over for him for a few hours- he has to try his best to keep them away from Stanford even if he isn't there physically- and then leaves. The entire ten minutes drive- he wants to be sure that the twins don't see Stanford at all- he curses himself for letting even a little bit of his emotions show. Damn it all if it's more than a little of his true emotions and being exhausted from lack of sleep doesn't help him at all in keeping up his mask, but it's not like his nosey brother helps at all. Between those things he's surprised he hadn't burst out with everything that's happened the past forty years.

 _I'm losing it,_ he finally decides as he reenters the Shack.

"Grunkle Stan?" Mabel asks as she walks through the curtain. "I thought that you said you'd be gone for a few hours."

"Nah," he grunts. "So, how much money did you make?"

Back to hiding behind the mask of a smile.

* * *

Stanford: Wow... you're really into torturing people aren't you?

HAT: What makes you say that?

Stanford: ... look at all the stories on your profile.

HAT: Yes.

Stanford: Most of them a person gets tortured.

HAT: Okay! So I have a problem- I'm not the only one!

Stanford: *rolls eyes* Review.

HAT: What about my birthday hug?! I got one from everyone else! Even Stanley!

Stanford: *sighs and holds out arms* Fine.

HAT: *tackles him* YAY!


	16. Chapter 16

HAT: Sorry that it didn't come out yesterday- I did say _hopefully_ and I was right to do so since we went to stay the weekend at a house with a nice TV, DVR, and no internet. Basically, that's why none of the stories got updated until today. *hides behind Stan* I'm sorry.

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Gravity Falls because if I did: 'Ford would have that couch be a pullout bed and I'd show him sleeping before last night's episode (he was just so adorable!). Anyway... I just own the plot and... I have OCs in this one, right? Yeah, and the OCs.**

* * *

 _Sweet, Moses, this is getting out of hand_ , Stanley thinks after waking up for the third time in a row a few nights later.

He hasn't gotten a decent amount of sleep in a week and it's starting to take its toll on him- again- but at least he's not trying to stay up for days at a time anymore and actually _attempting_ to get a full night's sleep.

He throws his legs over the edge of the bed and puts his slippers on before getting up with a grunt. He hates to admit it, but he's getting _old_. He can't stand to do stuff like this much longer if he wants to be alive long enough to see the twins do stuff like graduate high school or have their own families- not that he expects to live _that_ long anyway.

He goes straight to the kitchen and turns on the light. He pulls out the milk from the fridge and checks the date. About a week before this milk's expiration date- which is sufficient enough for him most of the time, but he still pours a little in a cup and smells it just to be sure- one can never be too sure with milk. When he's satisfied he pulls out a small pot and pours the milk inside and turns on the stove to heat up his soon-to-be midnight (more like 4 am) beverage.

 _Note to self: Get Soos to fix the microwave._

"Grunkle Stan?"

Stanley turns and sees Dipper rubbing his eye and squinting form the light from the kitchen. Obviously he's still a little groggy from just waking up and the blinding light doesn't help him distinguish the fact that it's Stanley- though considering his outfit it's obviously Stanley.

"Yeah, kid... what're you doing up this late?"

"I had a nightmare..."

Stanley gulps and licks his dry lips before speaking. "What about?"

"That you and Great Uncle 'Ford died," he murmurs, eyes going distant.

Stanley's heart squeezes painfully. "Yeesh... c'mere kid." Once Dipper's in front of him he puts a reassuring hand on top of his head. "Don't worry, it's just a bad dream. I've had plenty back in my day. Nothing bad's gonna happen your Grunkle Stan and I'm not gonna let anything happen to 'Ford either."

 _Or you and Mabel either._

Dipper smiles. "Yeah, you're too tough to let anything bad happen."

"That's right! Now, want some warm milk?"

"Sure."

Stanley adds a bit more milk to the pot and stirs the milk a little. A few minutes later and the milk is sufficiently warm and he carefully pours the milk into two glasses and puts the pot in the sink and fills it with water. He sits next to his nephew and the two of them drink their warm milk in a comfortable silence.

"Feelin' tired, yet?" Stanley asks when the milk is all gone.

He shakes his head. "Not really."

The same goes for Stan, but he's more concerned with getting Dipper back to sleep. "Let's watch something on TV. Go put on something."

"Okay," Dipper says, going back to the living room.

Stanley takes the cups, washes them, dries them, and puts them away. No need in adding to the mess he's going to have to clean up once everyone's done with breakfast in... three or four hours. Once he walks out, he sees a mindless cartoon playing and Dipper sitting in his chair.

 _Wow, he's small,_ Stanley thinks when he sees how large the seat seems compared to the child sitting on it. He can only imagine how large he seems to his nephew when he's standing up. He can nay hope that he's not intimidating the boy like he was intimidated when he was a boy by his-

"You kids are too comfortable taking my seat," he grunts and picks up the boy and sets him on his lap while concentrating on trying to understand what show this is that he's watching before realization hits him. "What do you know about _Popeye the Sailor Man?_ "

The boy shrugs. "We used to watch it with mom and dad a lot."

Stanley smiles. "Good to see that they showed you kids some good-quality cartoons."

As the familiar song is sung Dipper bounces a little and sings along under his breath, reminding Stanley of a younger child seeing their favorite cartoon in the world and singing along to the memorized theme song. He will never admit it, but it's _actually_ kind of adorable.

For about an hour of watching tow episodes the two of them laugh and have a good time spending quality time with one another before falling asleep on the chair with Dipper using his great uncle's stomach/chest area as a pillow and Stanley keeping a protective arm on the boy much like one would with a baby sleeping on their chest to make sure they don't roll off.

The first one to walk into the living room is Stanford and he blinks in surprise at seeing the two out so early- hell, _he's_ surprised he's up so early. It's eight in the morning! It's too early to do anything by the Pines' way of thinking. It isn't until he hears soft snoring that he realizes that they are asleep.

" _I'm Popeye the Sailor Man!_ " He glances at the TV and smiles fondly at the memories that come with that TV show.

He sits down on the ground in front of the chair and leans back to watch. As it turns out his body was far from ready to wake up so he ends up leaning against Stanley's leg and falling asleep.

This is perfect for Mabel who sees this as the best scrapbookertunity of her life! She had to kill any and all squeals that want to escape her body when she walked in on the scene of all three Pines males (in the house) asleep- two of them using Stanley as a pillow.

"Say family bonding," she whispers and then takes a picture of them.

Once the picture is safely in her scrapbook she goes back to the living room and falls asleep on her great uncle Stanford- might as well not be left out.

...

Stanley and Stanford wake up almost simultaneously and realize they're being used as pillows. While Stanley's sure that he can get Dipper off of him without waking him up, Stanford's a bit at a loss with his great-niece curled up against his chest.

"Help me," Stanford whispers quietly while his brother quietly laughs at his brother.

"Good luck with that," Stanley says, carefully standing up with the boy in his arms and going into the kitchen to fix himself a cup of coffee.

"Ass," Stanford hisses after his brother, earning a chuckle.

Several minutes of getting up with one arm holding the girl securely to his chest he walks into the kitchen and finds Stanley putting cinnamon rolls in the oven. He wonders what the special occasion is, but figures he'll figure it out later. He watches Stanley go around the kitchen making breakfast with a child in one arm- which he finds to be fairly impressive.

As soon as the bacon started to smell, the children stir.

"Breakfast?" Dipper asks groggily against Stanley's neck/shoulder that he used as a pillow to hide from the light.

"Yeah, kid. Gonna get down?" Stanley asks.

Dipper nods and once set down he stumbles over to the breakfast table and sits in his chair.

Mabel sits up and the weight on Stanford's arm increases. "Gre- unc- 'For?"

The broken english is easily translated so he replies, "Yes."

"Brek-fist?"

"Yes, sweetie, we're gonna have breakfast," he replies and then goes to the table to set her down.

"Nnnooo," she groans, gripping his pajama shirt tightly as he tries to set her down. "C'm'fy."

Stanley chucklesome not at all terrified for their lives at the moment with the "deer in headlights" look on his brother's face. "Mabel, sweetie, if you don't let go I'm sure he'll tell Waddles that you eat bacon."

"Nnnoooo," she groans. "Don' tell Waaaddles."

Stanford chuckles at the girl's early morning silliness while prying her hands off of him. "I won't tell Waddles, I promise."

"Thank you," she murmurs while putting her head on the table and falling asleep.

Stanley takes out the cinnamon rolls. "Well, ain't that nice."

"Have a nice night?" Stanford asks.

"Yeah, I guess I did," he replies.

"So you and Dipper watched _Popeye the Sailor Man?_ "

"Yeah, turns out his parents and them watched it a lot when they were younger."

"We had some pretty good times watching that show didn't we?"

"Yeah, we did."

Stanford chuckles. "Remember when you ate all your spinach and you were so convinced you were strong like _Popeye_ that you went and tried to pick up the couch?"

"Mom took a picture of that, didn't she?"

"I think she did."

The two share a laugh and Stanley thinks that maybe his dreams aren't premonitions at all. Maybe the stress is getting to him- after all, it's nearing the anniversary of-

 _No, don't ruin the moment with that... think about the now_.

And he does and he and his brother really get along- much to Mabel's sleepy- and later wide awake- delight.

* * *

Mabel: It's-a me! Mabel!

HAT: Hey guys! I'm trying to get this to the plot that I had in mind... but that plot keeps changing so it's taking a while for this to get where I need to get it.

Mabel: What anniversary?

HAT: Um... noooooothing...

Mabel: I'll find out.

HAT: Probably, but then you'll blab it out to the whole world so I can't tell you.

Mabel: *pouts* Awwww...

HAT: How about I get you something to eat and we'll call it even?

Mabel: Yay! review! *drags HAT away*


	17. Chapter 17

HAT: Hehe, I don't reuse disclaimers and other stuff... NONSPECIFIC EXCUSE! *flips glass cup gently with an angry face and then jumps into Stan's car* Floor it!

Stan: Y'know, you're crazy right? *drives away*

HAT: Shuddup, Lee-Lee.

Stan: ... shut up.

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Gravity Falls or its characters, just this plot (which will reemerge... eventually) and the OCs. Onward, Aoshima!**

* * *

It's the anniversary and _damn it all_ if he doesn't want to curl in a ball and stay asleep (maybe even allow himself to cry a little). Nope, not today. He doesn't have Soos or Wendy come into work- as usual this day of the year- and manages to calm down enough to show face to his family and eat an _actual_ breakfast (Stanford and the twins had dogged him for not eating enough and one of them was always present to make sure that he is eating).

"Good morning, Grunkle Stan!" Mabel says merrily.

He nearly winces, but instead smiles and ruffles her hair. "Good morning, sweetie... what've you got there?"

"I drew a picture of the snadger fighting a liopleurodon!"

 _How does she even know what that is?_ Stanley wonders. "That's nice." He grabs a bowl and the cereal, but before he pours it he checks the milk. He's glad that it's still good _and_ that there's enough for another bowl. Once the carton's gone he sits down at the table and begins to eat before realizing that his brother isn't at the table. "Where's 'Ford?"

"He's chasing a raccoon around the house," Mabel replies.

Dipper nods. "Yeah. After we made a comment about how _you'd_ be able to catch it, he was determined to get it out of the house without any help."

Stanley huffs. "That sounds like him."

There's a loud bang upstairs followed quickly by Stanford's voice. "I'm okay!"

Stanley contemplates going up to see what's going on, but quickly discards the idea: Stanford's a grown man and can take care of himself. If he needs help, he'll ask... unless he's like Stanley... then he'll keep quiet about it and try to hide it.

 _Shit,_ Stanley thinks while getting up with a grunt and going up the stairs to see if his brother's alright when he hears shouting coming from the gift shop. _What the hell's going on in this gift shop today? No one's even supposed to be here, today._

He glances up at the stairs and mentally apologizes for not running up to help his brother and rushes into the gift shop to find the door wide open and Wendy being dragged in a bear hug by a teenaged boy towards the door while trying to stay put.

Anger boils inside of Stan's chest- how _dare_ this _brat_ even _think_ that he can come in here and harass _anyone_ under this roof? How dare this teenaged _boy_ put his hands on a young woman? Has this _child_ lost his ever-loving mind?

The man walks forward so that he's a couple of paces away from the two and shouts, "Hey! Let'er go!"

The teenager- he's got brown hair and hazel eyes along with really pale skin- scowls. "What're you gonna do about it, old man?"

Stanley darts forward and grabs the boy by the back of the neck and grabs one of his pinkies and pulls it back towards his write, making the boy cry out and release the redhead. Stanley glances toward Wendy and sees a red mark on her left cheek which does absolutely nothing to kill the need for violence in the man, but he reminds himself that he can't kill the boy- too many questions and Wendy's a witness- he can't have any witnesses.

"Listen, _kid_ , if you so much as _think_ about touching her again, I promise I will break every bone in your body- understand?" When the teenager just sneers Stanley pinches a pressure point on his shoulder to force him to relax and go unconscious. Once he's sure the boy's pacified he turns to the redhead and sees her more shaken up than he's seen her in a long time. He puts a hand on her shoulder and gently takes her jaw and turns her so that he can inspect her cheek. It's red, but there's a small chance it won't bruise. He places his other other hand on her other shoulder and looks her in the eyes. "Are you okay?"

She laughs without humor. "Not really..."

He doesn't question why she didn't run to her dad or her large brothers- they're probably out doing male bonding- and instead puts a hand on the top of her head. "You wanna stay here and hang out with the twins? I'm sure they'll love it."

Wendy nods. "Yeah... thanks, Mr. Pines."

"Yeah, yeah, get your tail in there while I deal with the mess in here," he grumbles and is shocked when a grateful kiss lands on his cheek- something he's not used to even with Mabel at times. He looks away from her and grumbles. "Alright, kid, that's enough affection for one day."

She laughs and walks out of the room while Stanford grabs some rope and ties up the boy to the totem pole outside. He calls the police and informs them what happened and tells them that the boy is right outside for them to pick up and hangs up. Normally he wouldn't involve the police in anything and deal with things himself, but he's decided that the boy deserves a little time in the county jail.

He remembers his brother and he immediately runs upstairs and goes to the bathroom where he finds Stanford cursing up a storm while clutching his left knee with one hand and rubbing the back of his head with the other.

"Stan?"

"Geez, poindexter, what'd you do to yourself?" Stan demands while walking over to inspect his twin's wounds.

"Nothing," the scrawnier twin grumbles.

All emotion drains from Stan's face and he gives his brother a look that he'd normally give the kids. "Stanford."

With a sigh Stanford says, "I fell from the rafters."

"Not why would you go and do a thing like that?" Demands the larger of the two while lying the trench coat to the side and reaching for the sweater. His brother flinches away and Stanley frowns. "C'mon, poindexter, you know how this works. Lemme see."

"I'm fine," Stanford insists.

"That doesn't do anything to make me think that you're anywhere close to alright," Stanley snaps and then sighs while pinching the bridge of his nose. "Listen, Stanford, I've been real patient with you since you got back- I really have- but my patience is thin already. Now take off that sweater or I'm gonna rip it offa ya."

Stanford observes his brother for a few moments and then sighs in defeat. "Fine."

He takes off his sweater and immediately guilt stabs at Stanleys' heart. There are scars all over his body- one in particular seems nasty along his left side. Instead of demanding where they came from and freaking out, he stays calm and focuses on finding any wounds. He notices a nasty bruise developing on his back and prods at it to be sure nothing's broken. He moves onto the legs and checks the ankles to make rue they aren't broken or strained. Once he's done with his inspection he stands up with a grunt- why does everything hurt when one gets old?- and tosses the sweater back at his brother.

"There, done. You're fine," he grunts and moves to walk away, but suddenly a hand's on his right shoulder.

"Wait... Aren't you gonna..." He seems to be struggling to find the right words.

"'Ford, there's something called 'old age' that does this wonderful thing called 'make you wise' if you let it," Stanley says, moving his hands in an exaggerated movement. "I know better than to question where old wounds come from."

Stanford's eyes focus on his brother's right shoulder and he grimaces. "I-"

"See you at dinner," Stanley grunts, not wanting to hear another word- he's already remembering the moment when he got burned and many more terrible moments in his life that left scars from physical to emotional.

 _Stop thinking about it,_ Stanley thinks as he feels pressure on his chest at the thought of what today is.

"Grunkle Stan, someone's trying to say you ordered a birthday cake!" Dipper calls.

 _Shit, shit, shit,_ he thinks and rushes to the door and finds the deliverer standing there with a confused frown. Normally no one's around when this happens. The cake he has brought to his house every year is delivered at the insistence of the baker- he got the message after the third year- because he remembers what this day is for Stanley.

"Hey, Mark," Stan says with a small, nervous smile.

Mark, the delivery "boy" (he's twenty-seven), holds out the cake. "Here you go, Mr. Pines."

"Thanks," grumbles the older man as he takes the cake and then closes the door as the younger turns and walks away. He looks through the plastic and thanks God that it doesn't say anything. "Looks like we've got cake!"

"He said your ordered it," Dipper says.

"Well... I figured I missed too many of your birthdays so I decided to make up for it. Go get your sister and we can slice into this bad boy!"

Stanley puts candles in it and lights them with the lighter he has hidden away in his fez. He doesn't know why he keeps the lighters for anything, but for candles and fireworks anymore- he hasn't smoked in twenty years.

Mabel gasps as she enters the kitchen and rushes forward. "We get a birthday outside of our birthday!"

"Yep. You two get to blow out the candles."

Wendy enters the room with Dipper with an amused smile. "Sweet."

"C'mon Dipper, let's make a wish!" Mabel insists.

Dipper laughs. "Okay, okay."

They stand on top of the chairs and lean toward the cake. After counting to three the two of them blow out the candles. Stanley quickly gets the candles and throws them away before cutting into the cake and giving everyone a piece- even Stanford when he comes downstairs.

Sometime during the merry chatter Stanley walks out of the house and sits on the couch on the back porch with his mind consumed with why today should be a happy day instead of one of the most depressing days of the entire summer season.

He really wants a cigarette right now.

 _Twenty-six._

That's how old his daughter would've been today if-

He shakes his head and tries to focus on the scenery in front of him. He had to gather himself- that's why he came out here in the first place. After several minutes he feels he has his emotions gathered enough to go back inside and hide his emotions.

The rest of the night was spent care free and Stanley ended up having to drop Wendy off at her home. She thanked him again and he brushed it off as usual and then drove home. Once the kids were in bed he didn't bother with even watching TV for an hour like he normally would've and went back to his room with weariness weighing him down.

Just as he slips off he allows a tear to slip out as he thinks, _Happy birthday, Karen._

* * *

HAT: This sort of went off track and I can only say that it's because I'm making it up as I go... By the way... is it sad that when I read in reviews "I finally cracked" I'm all like *rubs hands together and laughs maniacally* "Yeeeesss! It's working! *lifts up hands with fingers curled in "it's alive!" pose* It's working!" or something like that...

Stanford: Yes.

HAT: No one asked you, 'Ford!

Stanford: *raises eyebrow* HAT... I say this with as much professionalism as possible... you need help.

HAT: ... and your point iiiiiiiiiissssss...?

Stanford: *face palms* N-never mind... J-just... review everyone. *walks out*

HAT: *follows him* Fooordsyyyyyyy!

Stanford: And for the love of- *frustrated noise* Stop calling me that!

HAT: *snickers* Nope!


	18. Chapter 18

HAT: Didn't think I'd get inspiration for _this_ anytime soon! And currently less than 3 hours before the series finale! I wanted to put something out today and I did it! This is _kind of_ a filler, but I hope you enjoy it anyway... *sigh* This is it... the last chapter I post on a day when we're getting a new episode... It was a great run, but that doesn't mean I'll stop writing stories! I'll finish these stories (hopefully).

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the show or it's characters (despite how I wish), but I _do_ own this plot... and any OCs I have in here... do I have OCs in here? I dunno, but just trying to cover all my bases.**

* * *

It's odd.

Having a day to himself.

After an entire summer of being around two knuckleheads all the time and then- more recently- his brother. To have them all out of the house and the Mystery Shack closed is the strangest thing he's faced and it's so... mundane. He can hardly even remember what he'd done on these off days before the twins showed up- which is pretty sad.

He runs hand through his silver locks and lets out a low, long, and exhausted groan as he pushes himself out of bed to get ready for the day- whatever it may bring. He takes a nice, long shower and puts on his casual wear afterwards. He doesn't bother making his hair look decent and eats some breakfast. After the emotional _breakdown_ he had last night over the loss of his his daughter, he was still pretty tired- no- _exhausted_. It's a good thing that everyone's out of the Shack for today because he doesn't think he has the energy to put up even a half-decent mask for them.

He runs a hand down his face and feels the strong urge to light up. He wants a smoke and a drink _very_ badly, but he'll settle on one since he doesn't want to get drunk or even something as minor as buzzed while the kids are staying here with him. He takes out one of his cigars that he has stashed away as well as his ashtray from one of the upper shelves and lights up inside the kitchen with the window open- no need for the kids to come back and breathe in what his lungs have been used to since he was a young man.

With the first lungful he relaxes and lets his mind go blank. He doesn't want to think about anything. Not about the impending loneliness that will come at the end of the summer or the death of his daughter or his nightmares. _Nothing._ It's a relief to have this time to think about nothing and just have a nice cigar.

Stanley can't say how long he sits in the kitchen with his body on autopilot to smoke, but it's enough time for his stomach to openly protest going so long without eating.

With a quiet sigh, he gets up from his seat with the cigar held in place by his teeth and he searches for what he wants to eat. He- honest to goodness- doesn't want to eat anything that he sees. He even looks at the bacon and eggs and his stomach churns a little.

 _That's not good,_ he thinks to himself as he puts out his cigar.

He decides on crackers and cheese- that seems like his safest bet at the moment. He eats slowly to take up time and gulps down a can of Pitt Cola along with it.

 _Sweet, Lord, what am I gonna do with myself?_ He wonders as he makes his way to the living room to watch television.

He flips through channels with little interest in what is offered to him. Even _The_ _Dutchess Approves_ doesn't seem to appeal to him when he finds it to be on. He definitely underestimated how reliant on the kids (and even Stanford) he was in fulling up his day. He doesn't know _what_ he's gonna do when they leave at the end of the summer.

Only God knows how long he spent flipping through channels before he turns off the television and tosses the remote away from himself. He'll have to find something else to occupy his mind so that time can slip by. Television isn't working and smoking can only take up so much time... Though there is one thing he hasn't done in a long time extensively.

He makes his way to the garage and gets his punching bag and hangs it up. _This outta pass the time just fine._

For what could have been hours, Stanley does drills that he remembers doing back when he used to box. He pulls out every combo he can think of and even makes hops on his toes for extra effect. Sure he hasn't had this much exercise in a while, but his doctor said that exercise was good for his heart- right? He shouldn't get a heart attack from this... _shouldn't_. He even forces himself to take small water breaks to make rue that he doesn't collapse. No one can say he's not making an attempt to make sure he stays alive at this point.

As desperate as he is not to think about his problems, they come crashing down on him as he makes punch after punch.

He's a failure- always has been and it seems he always will be- but one of his biggest screw ups haunts him more than when he broke his brother's dumb project. It seems to dictate his every action and thought because even with children that are well past old enough to take care of themselves (sort of (and of course he means Soos)) he has a sort of overprotective streak. His failure to protect his daughter leads him to do everything possible to protect his kids even at the cost of his own life.

He still feels guilt every time he thinks of it- not keeping an eye on her at the lake, not moving fast enough to get her out of the way as she threw herself in front of the-

 _Damn it,_ he thinks as he begins to tear up and blinks rapidly to clear them before throwing another combo. He can't give himself time to cry- not with the possibility of his family coming back any second. He just needs to keep busy and he won't have to think and that means he won't cry like a-

" _Goddamnit!_ " He shouts as he feels himself crack and delivers a ferocious blow to what would have been the jaw before he presses his forehead against the punching bag while the tears stream freely down his face.

 _Maybe I'll take that drink after all..._

But he can't- he has to stay sober for the kids. Just until they leave and then he can get as drunk as he wants.

"Mr. Pines?!" Soos calls.

"Shit," Stanley hisses under his breath and uses his teeth to undo and tear off the gloves. After looking in the side mirror of his car to make sure he looks presentable (aka like he hasn't been crying) and then calls, "In the garage!"

Soos walks into the garage and seems surprised to see his boss standing there in a sweaty mess with his hands still wrapped tight. "Hey, Mr. Pines... did I come at a bad time?"

Stanley gives him a look and then waves him off and asks, "What do you want, kid?"

"Did you forget?"

"I'm old, of course I forgot," Stan snaps.

"I- uh- I wanted you to meet my girlfriend... she's- uh- she's in town... and _here_ actually. Hehe," Soos informs nervously.

"That was today?!"

"Yeah... Mr. Pines are you alright?" Soos asks. "You didn't have a stroke or something, right?"

He waves off the man-child's concern as he digs out a pair of sweatpants from the trunk of his car to pull on- the best he can do without taking a full shower and pulling on his suit. "I'm fine. I just forgot- I wanna meet this gal. Bring 'er inta the living room."

"Alright," Soos says slowly before slipping out of the garage.

Stanley pulls on his sweatpants and on his way into the living room works on getting the gauze off of his hands. He's not exactly as done up as he would like to be for meeting the (probably nice) young lady that Soos _somehow_ managed to bag. He's sweaty and gritty and his hair's a mess, but at least he won't be in just his boxers so she won't be scarred _too_ badly.

By the time the couple walks into the living room, he's already working on getting the gauze off of his left hand and he perks at seeing the girl- Melanin was her name?- for the first time in person. She's more done up now than she was in the picture Soos showed of her, but then again in the picture apparently they had just finished their first date so she looked a bit... frazzled and like she just went through a long, hard day. Right now she's got her hair done up and she's wearing a nice navy blue blouse with jeans and _maaaayyyybeeee_ has on some makeup?

 _Don't say anything offensive, this is the first girlfriend Soos has had in..._ forever _. Don't blow this for him_ , he tells himself as he tears the last of the gauze away from his hand and throws it away in the nearby trashcan.

"Melody, this is my boss, Mr. Pines. Mr. Pines, this is my girlfriend, Melody," Soos introduces.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Pines," Melody says with a kind smile as she shakes his hand- she seems to be taken aback by his apparel.

Wait until she sees what he usually wears.

"Please, call me Stan," he insists. "Wanna take a seat?"

"Oh, yes, thank you," she says and sits on the couch.

Stanley sits in his recliner and looks at his handyman. "Soos, go get us some drinks."

"Yes, sir!"

Once the man-child's gone, Stanley gets comfortable and observes Melody for several seconds before he asks, "What are your intentions for Soos?"

She blinks several times before she asks, "Excuse me?"

He leans forward and rests his elbow on his knee while fixing her with a look. "Look. You and I _both_ know that Soos can be a bit naive. I want to know what you intend from a relationship with him because if you're lookin' for someone t' have for a little while and then throw away, you're lookin' at the wrong guy."

"No, that's not it at all," Melody insists earnestly. "I'm hoping for something more than something for a few months... even if I don't stay with him forever- which is really the end goal, really- I at least want to be friends with him at the end of everything. He's a really sweet dude with a big heart and I'd have to be an idiot to let go of a sweetheart like him."

"D- y'got that right... but'cha didn't hear it from me," he says while leaning back in his chair. He nearly cursed, but a phantom pain prevents him- his grandmother had no mercy on him when it came to training him not to curse in front of ladies. He's content to hear her words honestly because that means that's probably one less thing he'll have to worry about. "If he asks, I was flirtin' the whole time- y'got it?"

There's no way that he's going to admit to his overprotective nature leaking over to his most loyal employee. The man-child already clings to his every word, he might die of happiness if he heard that. And not to mention the birthday present that Stan's considering on planning on for the next year... speaking of which, he'll have to arrange for the paramedics to come for Soos' birthday.

Melody smiles. "You know... you're kind of sweet yourself. No wonder Soos sees you like a father figure."

"Hey, hey, this isn't about me, this is about you and Soos," Stanley insists. "And now that I know that you aren't one of... _those_ girls, I can safely say I'm okay with you datin' 'im... but don't tell him that."

"I won't," she promises with a smile.

"I couldn't find any Pitt Cola in the fridge so I went out back to the cooler," Soos says as he enters the living room.

Stanley grunts what could be considered a "thanks" as he takes the Pitt Cola and cracks it open. It's gone within a minute since he's still cooling off from boxing practice in the garage. When asked if he needed anything, he got up and got himself a tall glass of water and sipped on it as he talks to the couple to try any gauge how good they are for each other. It seems that they're doing well together and that they might even make it through the long haul, but it's still too soon to tell. He also isn't the best one to tell these things since he hasn't had a healthy relationship last for too long.

"Sooo... what do you think of her?" Soos asks when she goes to the bathroom.

"She's a sweet gal," Stanley replies. "I think she'll do ya good."

Soos smiles. "That means a lot to me, Mr. Pines."

"Don't go all mushy on me now," Stanley grumbles as he indulges in the young man's hug. "Alright, alright, geddoffa me."

The handyman backs away, but he still has that goofy grin on his face. "Me and Mel are headin' out for a date... you need anything before we leave?"

"Nah, I'm just gonna take a shower and make some dinner," Stanley assures. "You go on and have fun on your date."

"Thanks, Mr. Pines."

Melody comes back out and asks, "Oh, is it time to go?"

"Yeah, Mr. Pines has stuff to do," Soos says.

"It was nice to meet you, Mr. Pines," Melody says with a genuine smile while shaking said man's hand.

"Nice meetin' you, too, doll," he says (and yet he questions why she has a faint blush of embarrassment on her face). "You crazy kids have fun... but not too much fun."

"We will," Soos assures with a smile.

Stanley sees them off and for the first time all day a small, fond smile tugs at the corners of his lips. _I hope they last... wouldn't mind seein' her 'round._

He takes a shower- as long as he dares because he doesn't want to make his water bill to go up too high- and decides to order pizza instead of make something- he doesn't have the energy to do so. He- of course- pays for it in Stan Bucks and manages to get the kid off his property (this was a new kid so he was freaking out the entire time but he'll learn when he gets back that this is a normal occurrence). He eats a few slices.

By the time it got to be eight, the twins and his brother come walking in.

"Hey, Grunkle Stan!" Mabel says excitedly and rushes forward to hug him.

"Hey, sweetie," Stanley says with a grin and hugs his niece. "How was your day out?"

"It was so fun! We ran into the menotaurs and then we had a bunch of fun playing with the fairies and look! They braided my hair," she answers excitedly.

Stanley nods at seeing it. "And it looks stylish. What else did you kids do?"

For the rest of the night he listens to the kids talk about their adventure and he feels himself relax upon hearing that Stanford saved them on multiple accounts but frowns a little upon hearing his brother has a few injuries- he'll have to go check on him since he took his dinner downstairs as usual.

About eleven is when they finally pass out and he carries them upstairs and puts them to bed.

Due to decades of having odd sleeping habits, he stays awake much later and watches television. He obviously avoids his brother- as he's been doing- but sometimes they run into each other on accident... like conflicting bathroom schedules.

"Go on, poindexter," Stanley grunts while waving off his brother.

"You should-"

"It's two in the morning, Stanford, just go in," Stanley groans.

"Are you sure? I have to-"

"Fine!" Stanley grunts and walks into the bathroom first.

There's no way he's gonna go into the bathroom after his brother drops a stink bomb- he had enough of that when he was living with him (and their father- dear Lord, it was terrible going in after him. It was like bean burritos every time even if he didn't eat them!).

Stanley washes his hands- Mabel continuously got onto him in the first week about washing his hands (even if he went in there to fix up the bathroom, anytime the door closed basically) so anytime he closes the door, he does it. He notices his hands are extra rough and he looks around for his lotion.

"What's taking so long in there?" Stanford asks- probably doing the beginnings of the pee-pee dance.

"Looking for my lotion... did you move it?"

"Dipper has it in the room, I believe," Stanford says.

 _Oh, yeah... he took a shower today, didn't he?_ Stanley thinks. Dipper likes making sure his skin stays moisturized (or tries to because more than enough times Stanley's made fun of him for being ashy) and always moisturizes after his showers.

"You know, the light in the kitchen can make your skin softer," Stanford informs through the door with a slightly strained voice.

 _Moses, he's doing the pee-pee dance for sure,_ Stanley thinks and then opens the door. "Fine, fine. I'll use the stupid lightbulb."

Stanford slips in after Stanley exits. "It'll last longer, I promise."

Stanley only gets as far as his room before his body decides he's had enough. He can moisturize his hands in the morning.

 _Please, no nightmares,_ Stanley thinks as he gets into bed.

"Stanley, I don't see any clotheslines and you have two washer machines," Stanford says and then stops when he sees his brother asleep in bed with the covers half-thrown over him with his glasses still on his face. He shakes his head and walks up to the bed with every intention to let his brother sleep. He pulls the covers over his brother up to his neck and then takes off his brother's glasses and puts them on the nightstand where he figures he puts them. "G'night... sweet dreams, Stanley."

 _I hope you have them,_ he thinks as he closes the door after himself to go to bed himself.

* * *

HAT: Ohmygoodness, I'm not ready for this... but at the same time I am. Just like when _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ ended. Same exact feeling, actually.

Soos: Hey, at least you get an ending. I've seen plenty of shows end without giving a real ending.

HAT: You're right... like always. *holds out arms* Can I have a hug?

Soos: Sure thing. Hugs are the best medicine! *hugs* ... or is it laughter?

Mabel: Why not both?

HAT: ... I like both. Group hug everyone!

*all Gravity Falls characters (except Stan) gather in a group hug*

HAT: *looks at readers* What're you standing there for? I said _everyone_. That includes you guys. Get in here!... Stan, get in this thing, the readers are in here.

Stan: No thanks, I don't do hugs.

Ford: C'mon, Stan. You've gotta give the people what they want.

Mabel: *puppy-dog eyes* Please, Grunkle Stan?

*puppy-dog eyes all around*

Stan: Gah! Fine... *gets in the group hug*

HAT: Yay! Review everyone! See you guys on the other side of the finale!


End file.
